NIMC issues 36.6m National Identity Numbers – DG

The National Identity Management Commission (NIMC) says it has issued 36.6 million National Identity Numbers – NIN to Nigerians as at Sept. 11.

Mr Aliyu Aziz, the Director-General of the commission, disclosed this at an interactive session with newsmen on Thursday, ahead of National Identity Day celebration in the country, slated for Sept. 16.

Aziz said the ongoing enrolment of citizens for the NIN would help to address security challenges confronting the country as it would enable security agencies to identify the culprits via their national identity data base.

“Security challenge is a known problem, so if everyone is identified in Nigeria via national identity number, anytime somebody commits crime, he or she can be easily identified.

“We can ensure that every Nigerian has his or her National Identity Number (NIN) so that he or she can be identified as a Nigerian because that will go a long way in ensuring national security.

“One of the problems we have in security has to do with our inability to identify who is a Nigerian or a foreigner residing in Nigeria,“ he said.

Aziz said the commemoration of the day would be used to create awareness for Nigerians to get enrolled into the database of NIMC for the purpose of economic development and national security.

“The Federal government has approved for NIMC to join the coalition of International Identity Day,(IID) coming on Sept.16 in recognition of United Nation’s Sustainable Development Goal (SDGs).

“This IID calls for legal identity for all, including birth registration by 2030 as part of the activities to mark national identity day in Nigeria,’’ he said.

“As federal government agenda, we are all enjoined to work together as one to achieve the ID objectives and bequeath a sustainable and credible system of identity to our nation and generations to come,’’ he said.

Aziz stressed that there was strong relationship between identification and security, adding that both were central to achieve transformational and developmental agenda of Nigeria.

It was reported that this is the first time Nigeria will join the rest of the world to observe International Identity Day.

The theme for 2019 is “Assured Digital Identity for All’’ while President Muhammadu Buhari is expected to unveil the International Identity Day emblem, according to Aziz.