By Akinwale Kasali
Thousands of Nigerians besieged the offices of the National Identity Management Commission, NIMC, in Lagos on Monday in a bid to register and obtain the National Identity Number so as not to have their SIMs blocked by Telecommunication Companies, following the order of the National Communication Commission, NCC.
The development comes just days after the NCC ordered telecommunications companies to, within two weeks, suspend phone subscribers who have no NIN.
Statistics showed that about 41.5 million Nigerians, out of an estimated 198 million active phone subscribers, have NIN, meaning that about 75 percent of Subscribers would see their SIMs blocked.
The huge crowd gathered at the NIMC office in Alausa, were either not wearing face masks or not observing physical distancing, thereby flouting the protocol put in place by the Government in a bid to tackle the spread of COVID-19 which has been on the increase in the last one week.
The Governor of Lagos State, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, who has also contracted COVID-19, ordered the closure of schools, clubs and other places which could attract large crowds.
Several concerned Nigerians have expressed concern over the sudden directive of the Federal Government and had asked that the deadline given for the registration be extended. But the government has remained adamant.
The Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project, SERAP, described the order as an abuse of human rights and threatened to sue the Federal Government within seven days if it is not rescinded.
SERAP, however, called on President Muhammadu Buhari to, with immediate effect, “instruct the Minister of Communications and Digital Economy, Isa Pantami, and Director-General of the National Identity Management Commission, NIMC, Aliyu Abubakar, to stop the push for registration of Nigerians for National Identity Number, NIN, and withdraw the threat to block SIM cards, as the data being sought already exist in several platforms, including the Bank Verification Numbers, BVN, driver’s license, international passport, and voters’ card.”
SERAP said the exercise was a multiple way of registration as the Bank Verification Number, BVN, Exercise was also a way of having a database the Government is doing again.
The organisation also urged President Buhari “to instruct Pantami and Abubakar to take total measures to promptly ensure that the NIMC is able to effectively discharge its statutory functions to harmonize and integrate existing identification databases in government agencies into the National Identity Database, and to use the information to update SIM card registration.
SERAP in a letter dated 19 December, 2020 and signed by its Deputy Director, Kolawole Oluwadare, said, “No government has the right to strip its own people of their basic rights under the guise of registration for national identity number. If the authorities continue down this path, the threats to citizens’ rights, such as the rights to freedom of expression and access to information, will inevitably increase, and the NIMC will remain a paper tiger.
SERAP said, “Instead of forcing Nigerians to register, threatening telecom service providers with sanctions, and exposing Nigerians to the risks of COVID-19, your government ought to make sure that the NIMC discharges its statutory functions to harmonize and integrate existing identification databases in government agencies, and make use of the information collected.
SERAP stated: “The request for Nigerians to register for NIN is burdensome, unjustified and unnecessary. It would end up serving no other purpose than to threaten and violate the rights of Nigerians, and create a ‘chilling effect’ on citizens’ ability to participate in the fight against corruption in the country, and thereby seriously undermining the government’s oft-repeated commitment to transparency and accountability.
SERAP continued: “There is neither a pressing legal or practical need for this registration, which threatens Nigerians’ human rights, especially at a time your government is warning Nigerians about the second wave of the COVID-19 outbreak in the country.
“Blocking Nigerians from using their SIM cards would amount to a blatant violation of their rights to freedom of expression and access to information, and have a ‘chilling effect’ on the enjoyment of other human rights.”
“We would be grateful if your government would indicate the measures being taken to stop the unnecessary registration of NIN, withdraw the threat to block SIM cards, and take concrete measures to promptly ensure that the NIMC is able to faithfully discharge its statutory functions to harmonize and integrate existing identification databases in government agencies into the National Identity Database, within 7 days of the receipt and/or publication of this letter.”
“If we have not heard from you by then as to the steps being taken in this direction, SERAP shall take all appropriate legal actions to compel your government to implement these recommendations in the interest of millions of Nigerians.”
“One of the stated purposes of NIMC as elaborated in section 5 [a] of the NIMC Act is to harmonise and integrate existing identification databases in government agencies into a national identity database. If the NIMC cannot perform this important statutory duty, then it has failed to achieve an obvious part of its legislative purpose.”
“This push for registration will place a substantial burden on the exercise of human rights by Nigerians. It is also patently contrary to the objectives of the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) as contained in Section 1[g] of the Nigerian Communications Act 2003, which is to protect the rights and interest of service providers and consumers within Nigeria.’”
“These rights presumably include the rights to freedom of expression, access to information, life and personal security. The enjoyment of these rights forms the basis for a free and democratic society. A democratic government based on the rule of law is one that is responsible to its citizenry and seeks to represent their interests.”
“The push for registration for NIN is a bad initiative, and cannot find support in existing laws, the Nigerian Constitution of 1999 (as amended) and the country’s international human rights obligations.”
“SERAP notes that the information on individuals currently being sought by your government already exist in several platforms, including through multiple citizen’s collection data platforms such as the Bank Verification Numbers (BVN), international passport, driver’s license, SIM card registration and voters’ card.”
“This point is buttressed by Section 5 [h] of the NIMC Act 2007, which provides that: ‘the Commission shall establish and maintain secured communication links with any existing relevant identity related database or agency’”.
“The statutory duty to harmonize and integrate existing data for the purposes of NIN and SIM card registration should not be difficult to carry out, as the Nigeria Immigration Service, Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), and Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) are already members of the Board of the NIMC by virtue of section 2[1][b] of the NIMC Act.”
“Our requests are brought in the public interest, and in keeping with the requirements of the Nigerian Constitution 1999, the country’s international human rights obligations including under the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights and the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights. Nigeria has ratified both human rights treaties.”
“According to our information, your government has issued a two-week ultimatum for the registration and linking of National Identity Number (NIN) to mobile numbers across the country.”
“The NCC has also reportedly directed telecom service providers to block phone numbers without NIN while Mr Abubakar has stated that there would be no extension for the announced deadline ending 30 December, 2020.”
“Your government has also reportedly threatened that, ‘After the deadline, all SIMs without NINs are to be blocked from the networks. Violations of this directive will be met by stiff sanctions, including the possibility of withdrawal of operating license.’”
The Federal Government recently approved the licensing of 173 centres and 30 Government institutions to conduct enrolment of persons into the National Identity Database. However, it was learnt that most of these entities could not start the process immediately because they lacked the infrastructure and equipment to do so.
Telecoms giant, MTN, which is one of the firms given the licence to enrol persons into the NIMC database, announced on Saturday that it was importing 14, 000 devices for the NIN registration and they are expected to arrive in two weeks.
Meanwhile, several Nigerians have been criticising the Federal Government on social media over the gathering of large crowds in NIMC’s offices.
Some of them accused NIMC officials of demanding bribe from them.
@ayegbajeje_ tweeted, “Those in Oshodi local government would frustrate you. People go as early as 4am for numbers. If you can’t get the number and want to register, you’ll pay a N5000 bribe. If you can wait, you’ll fill a form for N100, pay 300 for printing and lamination. The situation as of 8.45am today.
“The form is just an A4 paper with ‘free’ clearly written on it. If you make photocopies elsewhere it won’t be collected from you. Presently there are over 400+ people there defying COVID-19 guideline at the peak of the second wave.”
Another youth said on social media that it was ironic that the state government shut down night clubs over the weekend but was permitting large gatherings at NIMC.
“Lagos State Government sent police to Cubana to arrest people having a good time amid all their wickedness on citizens, because of so-called COVID-19, yet they are inviting and dining with COVID-19 with this NIN,” @iamgerrardoxa tweeted.
@prinzgbemi, who shared photos of from the Alausa office of NIMC, said the irony was that the office was barely five minutes away from the governor’s office.
NIMC spokesman, Kayode Adegoke, did not respond to calls and messages sent to him.
