BY: MOHAMMED M ALI
The National Identification Management Commission, NIMC, has moved to sanction officials caught extorting applicants for NIN enrollment across the country.
This directive comes a day after a syndicated media publication, including YERWA EXPRESS NEWS, exposed how some officials of the commission extort victims of Boko Haram in Borno.
The three-month-old investigation covered four official NIN Registration centers where the extortion was committed. The centers include the College of Agriculture Maiduguri, Ramat Polytechnic Maiduguri, Biu Local Government Secretariat, and Bayo Local Government Secretariat.
The investigation found that the officials were charging different amounts up to N2, 500 and more for the NIN registration while also inflating reprinting charges.
The investigation was published on Thursday across multiple media outlets, including Tiger Eye and Premium Times, among others.
In a statement on Friday by Kayode Adegoke, a spokesman for the commission, the commission directed security agencies to track any staff caught extorting applicants for NIN enrollment.
'The National Identity Management Commission (NIMC) wishes to inform the general public that enrollment for the National Identification Number (NIN) is free. The Commission does not charge nor authorize any Staff or its Front End Partners (FEP) to charge applicants for the NIN enrollment.
'To this end, the Commission has directed security agencies to track any staff or FEPs caught extorting applicants for NIN enrollment. Anyone caught will be sanctioned appropriately in line with the provisions of the law, and the license of such FEP will be withdrawn.'
Furthermore, he explained that the general public is advised to report any staff that demands money for enrollment through the following channels: email- customercare@nimc.gov.ng Phone Number-07002255646
'The Commission assures its utmost commitment to ensuring seamless enrollment services and pledges to stem the tide of extortion,' Adegoke said.