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The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission(EFCC) has issued warnings to Nigerians involved in the extortion and inducement of applicants at various enrolment centres of the National Identity Management Commission for the National Identification Number(NIN).
The EFCC in a statement on Thursday said despite the fact that it is not illegal to trade for the NIN, it said the buyers, “stand the risk of vicarious liability for any act of criminality linked to their NIN.”
“In other words, they risk arrest and prosecution for any act of criminality linked to their NIN whether or not they are directly responsible for such crimes,” a part of the statement read.
The anti-graft agency warned members of the public against selling their NIN and to report anyone seeking to buy their NIN, to the nearest office of the EFCC or other law enforcement agencies.
PREMIUM TIMES had reported in December last year how officials of the National Identity Management Commission, (NIMC), were extorting fees from applicants at some registration centres.
The fees, PREMIUM TIMES gathered, ranged from N100 to N500 which were used to buy petrol to fuel the generator that will be used for registration at the centres.
READ ALSO: MTN says 8 million subscribers have submitted NINs
The registration came on the heels of the federal government’s directive that all SIM cards be linked to NIN
In reaction, the Minister of Communications and Digital Economy, Ali Pantami, ordered the immediate suspension of some officials reported to have been involved in the act.
The minister said NIN registration was free of charge, and on no occasion should anyone pay to obtain an enrolment form or to have their biometrics captured.
Read EFCC full statement below
As Nigerians struggle to acquire the National Identity Number, NIN, from offices of the National Identity Management Commission, NIMC, across the country it has come to the knowledge of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, that some unscrupulous persons are cashing in on the exercise to induce enrollees to sell their NIN for a fee. The buyers of the numbers are also trading with them to persons whose motives are anything but noble.
The EFCC wishes to alert Nigerians that it is not illegal to sell their NIN, they stand the risk of vicarious liability for any act of criminality linked to their NIN.
In other words, they risk arrest and prosecution for any act of criminality linked to their NIN whether or not they are directly responsible for such crimes.
The Commission warns members of the public against selling their NIN and to report anyone seeking to buy their NIN, to the nearest office of the EFCC or other law enforcement agencies.
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