Airtel Nigeria customer seeks ₦5 million in compensation (Image Source: )
It has emerged that Niyi Bada, a subscriber on Airtel's network in Nigeria, has logged a claim demanding that the company pay him a ₦5 million (USD $13, 907) compensation for alleged illegal and constant deductions for airtime recharges on his telephone. Bada submitted the claim through a letter he wrote to the management of the telecoms company, according to a report by Nigerian Communications Week.
In the letter written through his solicitors, Niyi Bada & Co, dated January 22, 2018, and addressed to the Managing Director of Airtel Nigeria and the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), the solicitor claimed that its client’s mobile line has been inundated with "numerous text messages" in the last two years.
The letter in part read, “We are solicitors to Mr. Niyi Bada hereinafter referred to as our Client on whose behalf and instruction we write this letter in respect of the above subject matter. Our Client informed us that in the last two years his line, that he bought in 2003 and which he has put to use ever since, has been inundated with numerous text messages informing him about his subscription to numerous services some of which are Video Magic weekly; Mini Start Service; VID Service; Fashion weekly; 2 VID Service; 10 VID Service; VOD; 828; 1 Subscription Service; Goool Club; N – Xpress Fashion Service; Smart now; Hollywood Club and Music Club.”
According to the law firm, Bada made several visits to the Airtel service centre along Oba Akran, Ikeja to complain and to deny ever subscribing to such services and requested that all the subscription be removed not be renewed. But each time such unsolicited subscriptions were removed, they returned after a few days.
The law firm further stated that, "It would appear that your company has a policy to fleece subscribers of their hard-earned money hence the decision to always restore the unsolicited subscriptions even when there were formal and persistent complaints to take them off."
"Our client has never subscribed to any other service provided by your company as he is only interested in making phone calls and sending text messages on his line, which your greedy action of deducting money from his airtime recharge for your dubious subscription has now made it onerous and expensive."
"We hereby demand, on behalf of our client, that you make a refund of ₦5 million to our Client for all the illegal deductions from his airtime recharge account before the 31st of January 2018."
The firm concluded by stating that if Airtel fails to meet the demands, it shall be left with no other option than to seek legal redress before a competent court for Airtel's actions.
Edited by Dean Workman
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