NIMC captures 300,000 in Niger – Official

The National Identity Management Commission (NIMC) in Niger says out of the state’s population of about five million only about 300,000 residents have been captured in the ongoing civil registration.

Mrs Mary Makama, Coordinator of the commission in Niger, disclosed this in an interview with our reporter on Thursday in Minna.

She appealed to the state government to support the exercise by opening NIMC offices in the 11 local government areas where the exercise was yet to commence.

The coordinator regretted that out of the 25 local governments in the state, only 14 had NIMC functional offices.

“The headquarters had provided all the working facilities required for the exercise, but we still do not have office accommodation in 11 local governments,” she said.

She identified power failure in the 14 local government areas functional offices as the major problem hindering smooth conduct of the exercise.

She also called for the support of stakeholders, traditional and religious leaders in mobilising residents to come forward and registered.

The coordinator said that already the commission had commenced registration of children under-16 years.

“We have introduced various devices to enable us detect illegal aliens seeking to be registered,” she said.

Makama urged Niger residents, who had not been registered, to take advantage of the ongoing registration to do so in their own interest.