Association moves to curb sales of stolen phones in Abuja GSM Village

Abuja GSM Village Handsets & Accessories Association says it is working hard to curb incidents of stolen mobile phones getting to its members to buy and sell.

The Association’s Chairman, Mr Chris Eze, made this known on Tuesday in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Abuja,

According to him, the sale of stolen phones cannot be eradicated completely.

“We know we cannot eradicate the sale of stolen phones so what we are doing is to curtail it.

“When the business of GSM started in 2002 the issue of stolen phones was not rampant as it is now.

“What was obtainable in 2002 is not what is obtainable now, the kinds of sophisticated phones found now were not the type we had then.

“Even the kind of apps available now were not also available then that is why as an association there was need to step up our security surveillance concerning stolen phones.

“We had to put some measures in place concerning the issue of used phones to ensure that the phone was not stolen,” he said.

Eze explained that if any customer wants to dispose of a phone at the market, especially an old phone, a receipt must be demanded, adding that if the receipt is not available, there is a form to fill.

“In that form, there are columns which contain the address of the person and there is a place where the person is required to write the serial number of the phone to be sold.

“The phone number and a photocopy of a valid ID card so that if there is any issue concerning the phone, the person can be traced.

“And it does not stop there; the person who is selling the phone must also register it with the union so that we will be aware of the sales.

“So that if there is anything the union will check its records with them to ensure that our members are protected,” he said.

The chairman said that in every twelve there must be a Judas as some of their members were still in the habit of selling stolen phones as they refused to adhere to the laws put in place by the association.

He said that his recalcitrant members were the ones being handed over to the police for appropriate sanctions, adding that the erring ones knew exactly why they were not ready to stop the business.