Medical doctor drags Airtel to court for allegedly compromising his personal information

Court

A medical doctor, Benjamin Oke, has dragged a telecommunication company, Airtel Network Nigeria Limited, before a Federal High Court sitting in Ibadan, over allegations that the company compromised his data, leading to intrusion of his privacy and consequent loss of over seven hundred thousand naira.

Joined as co-defendant in the suit is the Nigeria Communication Commission (NCC).

His major allegation before the court is that the telecommunication company has compromised his information by giving a third party access to his data.

He consequently prayed court to rule that Airtel Network Company is liable in the way it handled his information and also urged the court to order the Nigeria Communication Commission to revoke the certificate given to Airtel to operate in Nigeria.

He also asked for a court order mandating Airtel to delete his data in its network because he is not sure who and what can access his data as it has been proved that information with the network company is not safe.

In his Statement on Oath, Dr. Oke averred that the problem started in April 2018 when he went to Airtel to cut his SIM card to the nano size, adding that four months later, the SIM stopped working and he had to go back to the company where he was asked to submit an affidavit and identity cards among other particulars to proof the ownership of the card, adding that he submitted all.

According to his averments, the problem was rectified but some hours later; he discovered that more than seven hundred thousand had been transferred from his bank account which caused him to report the case to the police.

He added further that investigations by the police revealed that the fraud was allegedly masterminded by the consultant to the company in Lagos and he had confessed to the crime, adding that after deliberations, the consultant agreed to pay the money but Ariel refused to accept the blame for the fraud.

He further claimed to have petitioned the Nigeria Communication Company before the case filed before the Federal High Court.

When the case was called before Justice P. I. Njoku, Dr Oke’s legal counsel, Mr. Diyan Oluseye, told the court that he had not received any process from the telecommunication company and applied that judgment be given in the matter since there had not been any response from the company.

In his response, counsel to the NCC, Oluwafemi Obama, said he had filed a statement of defense and requested a short adjournment to regularise his process but Airtel was not represented in the court.

Ruling on the request, Justice Ajoku adjourned the case till May 9, 2019 for further hearing.

S-Davies Wande