FG suspends NIMC staff over extortion of NIN applicants, reveals penalty for bribery

FG suspends NIMC staff over extortion of NIN applicants, reveals penalty for bribery

- FG has suspended some staff of NIMC over fraudulent activities

- The directive was made by the minister of communication and digital economy, Isa Pantami, on Sunday, January 3

- Pantami said that the government would not tolerate any form of corruption and illicit act

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Some staff of the National Identity Management Commission (NIMC) have been suspended over extortion of National Identity Number (NIN) applicants.

Daily Trust reports that the minister of communications and digital economy, Ali Isa Ibrahim Pantami directed the immediate suspension of the staff on Sunday, January 3.

Legit.ng gathered that the minister's directive was contained in a statement issued by the NIMC, adding that the staff were involved in extortion of applicants at the NIMC Bauchi and Kaduna state offices.

FG suspends NIMC staff over extortion of NIN applicants, reveals penalty for bribery
The federal government said that the application for NIN is free. Credit: @DrIsaPantami
Source: Facebook

Kayode Adegoke, the NIMC’s head of corporate communications, who issued the statement, said the directive came on the heels of public outcry that some personnel of NIMC were extorting applicants.

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Adegoke said Pantami restated his zero-tolerance stance on extortion, bribery and corruption and further noted that such unethical practices if allowed to fester and not nip in the bud by taking stiffer actions against the culprits, has the potency of derailing the SIM-NIN Integration project.

He stressed that enrolment for the NIN is free of charge, and on no occasion should anyone pay to obtain an enrolment form or to have their biometrics captured.

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Meanwhile, Legit.ng had previously reported that the Arewa Telecom Operators Agents SIMCard Dealers Association (ATOASDA) said that about two million Nigerian youths have been rendered jobless by the recent suspension of sale, registration and activation of SIM cards.

It was reported that the federal government through the ministry of communications and digital economy recently put the exercise on hold.

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The telecom dealers claimed that they were aware of the federal government’s intention to address security challenges through linkage of National Identity Number (NIN) with mobile numbers and suspension of new SIM card registration.

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Wale Akinola Wale Akinola is a passionate journalist and researcher. He is the Head of Desk, Politics and Current Arts, Legit.ng. He holds both B. A and Master’s degree in Communications and Language Arts from the University of Ibadan. He also holds a Diploma Certificate in Peace Journalism. He has over 15 years of work experience in both print and online media. You can reach him via +2348054137974 or wale.akinola@corp.legit.ng.