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HOW TO TRACK A STOLEN PHONE IN NIGERIA
Guidelines on how you can recover a stolen phone in Nigeria.
CHAMAN LAW FIRM
5/11/20242 min read
HOW TO TRACK A STOLEN PHONE IN NIGERIA
Despite the varying opinions, the fact is that phone theft is an epidemic. Millions of phones are stolen in Nigeria every year. Investigations revealed that the best way and still the most reliable way of tracking lost or stolen phone in Nigeria is through the phone imei number. The phone imei number is a 15 digit unique code that identifies the phone. To get the code, dial *#06# on your phone and the code will be displayed.
If you are using a double SIM phone, the number will be two, copy it out and keep in case of a day like this whereby you misplace your phone or it is stolen.
However and unfortunately, for the meantime, private individuals are not allowed to track their phones using the imei number. Only security operatives are allowed to track phones in Nigeria provided you have the under-listed information.
· A police report. This is to enable establish the fact that the phone actually belongs to you and not someone else.
· The Imei number of the phone
· You are to provide a phone number with which police can use to reach you
· An active email address.
You might have been used to the unique 15 – digit number on the back case of your phone. Some manufacturers don’t display the code externally, but for all devices you can view this code by dialing *606#.
This code is called IMEI which stands for International Mobile Equipment Identity.
The code is important to a certain degree in tracking lost phones. It is used by authorities to prevent the use of these stolen phone and possible track them.
How does the code come into all these?
The plain truth is that every time you use a phone with any network in it to make or receive a call, send or receive a message, its IMEI number is automatically emitted to the network provider.
In the event of changing the network/ sim, the same would be observed by the telecom provider. There are certain phones that come with dual Sim ports; these devices possess dual IMEI digits. Same also goes with ones that have triple ports.
The port in which a particular network is inserted has its unique IMEI and that’s what would be transmitted upon initiation of calls or sms.
The IMEI is very important as you could see, and to find back your lost phone through its IMEI, it is compulsory that you had written down those digits.
If your phone has double ports (as it’s common these days) write down their different IMEIs.
To prevent against theft, you should be careful of where you place your phone. Recommended would have been certain apps but their effectiveness would depend on data connection and other things which a Nigerian won’t likely fancy.
As always, to keep a phone from theft, you really need to keep it away from thieves.
