Cybersecurity: Nigeria Police List 3 Steps to Know If You're Being Linked to Crime via NIN

• The Nigerian police have exposed the new methods employed by criminal elements to carry out cybercrime
• The spokesperson, Olumuyiwa Adejobi, shared some tips on how Nigerians can secure their NIN from being used for cybercriminal activities
• Nigerians have been urged to report suspicious activities linked to their NIN to the Nigeria Police Force National Cybercrime Centre

Legit.ng journalist Esther Odili has over two years of experience covering political parties and movements.

The Nigeria Police Force said cybercriminals now use people's National Identification Numbers (NIN) to register numbers for cybercrime activities.

The Force spokesperson, Olumuyiwa Adejobi, disclosed this on Monday, February 19, 2024, in a post shared on his X account (@Princemoye1).

Adejobi listed simple ways Nigerians could secure their NIN and identity from being linked to criminal activities.

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Steps to secure your NIN from being linked to crime

1. Dial *966; this is applicable to all networks.

2. MTN and GLO user press 2 (View numbers linked to NIN)

And 9MOBILE users press (view linked numbers)

AIRTEL users press 3 (View linked numbers).

3. An SMS will be sent to all numbers linked to your NIN.

• Any phone number linked to your NIN that you do not recognise should be blocked or deleted. Visit the office of your network provider for deactivation.
• Report to the Nigeria Police Force National Cybercrime Center.

Adejobi, however, urged Nigerians to take these seriously.

Security agencies accused of not using NIN-SIM policy

In another related development, Legit.ng reported earlier that the immediate past minister of communication and digital economy, Isa Pantami, maintained that the failure to utilise the NIN-SIM policy encouraged criminality, especially kidnapping, in the country.

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Pantami disclosed this on his X page (formerly Twitter) on Sunday, January 14, 2024.

The former minister, who supervised the NIN-SIM policy during former president Muhammadu Buhari's administration, said the problem was not with the policy but the failure of relevant institutions to utilise it now.

He, however, blamed the ineffectiveness of the policy on institutions meant to safeguard the citizenry ignoring it despite its relevance in tracking and getting essential details of users.

Source: Legit.ng