Niyi Bada, an Airtel Nigeria subscriber, is asking the operator for N5 million as compensation for alleged illegal and constant airtime deductions.
In a suit filed by Niyi Bada & Co and addressed to Airtel Nigeria MD, a copy of which was also sent to the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), Bada said his mobile line has been inundated with ‘numerous text messages’ in the last two years.
The suit reads: “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.”
The suit also revealed that Bada had severally attempted to rectify the issue and had visited Airtel’s service centre along Oba Akran, Ikeja to complain and to deny ever subscribing to such services and requested that all the subscription be removed and never to be renewed but each time such unsolicited subscriptions were removed, they usually return after a few days with a vengeance and more subscriptions.
“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 interest 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 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 on before the 31st of January 2018 failing which we shall be left with no other option than to seek legal redress before a competent court for your clear illegal actions.”
Finally!! Someone is standing up to these wicked telcos and their illegal deductions