Following the directives given by the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) to telecommunications companies to block SIM cards not registered with the National Identity Numbers (NIN), large crowd on Monday was reportedly seen gathered at the offices of the National Identity Management Commission in Lagos in a bid to register and obtain the National Identity Number.
The process for NIN registration has been put on hold at NIMC Lagos office until further notice.
Hundreds of Lagos residents who approached the office of the National Identity Management a Commission (NIMC) had their hopes of registering for a National Identity Number (NIN) shattered as the commission shut its doors against people.
The development comes just days after the Nigerian Communication Commission ordered telecommunications companies to within two weeks suspend phone subscribers who have no NIN.
Currently, only about 41.5 million Nigerians out of an estimated 198 million active phone subscribers have NIN.
Higher number of people who 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.
Babajide Sanwo-Olu, the lagos state governor who has also been infected with COVID-19, ordered the closure of places of worship, schools, clubs and other places which could attract large crowds.
Several concerned Nigerians had 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.
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.
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