Extend NIN project by six months, HURIDE tells NCC

The National Communication Commission (NCC) has been asked to set six months target for the incorporation of National Identification Number (NIN), into the sim cards of GSM users in the country.

The Human Rights, Liberty Access and Peace Defenders ‘Foundation ( HURIDE) in a statement in in Abuja yesterday said that the extension to January 2021 from the initial two weeks in December 2020 is still not enough.

In the statement signed by the Executive Director of HURIDE, Dede Uzor A Uzor,the group argued that forcing the people to get NIN in their handset will be counter-productive, saying that it would will be too stressful for the people and impact negatively on the economy.

The group said given the inherent failure of the National Identity Management Commission (NIMC) over time to provide Nigerians with National Identity cards which automatically would carry NIN .

Some Nigerians, they said, have applied for the card for over five years, yet they have not been issued with cards.

The group called for the immediate overhaul of NIMC with its Chief Executive and other top management staff shown the way out.

“The organisation is coorupt and inept. When these category of Staff are flushed out , then others should be made to issue National Identity card to Nigerrians within the next six months.

Then NCC should begin to implement their NIN programme”.

The group continued ” we as human rights body appreciates the importance of the project in curbing fraud as well as putting sanity in the system but must done with human face and in line with democratic princples. We are not in military regime”.

HURIDE however warned that the NIN project by NCC should not in anyway be used to deny Nigerians the legitimate access to interact with fellow citizens as it would encroach on their fundamental rights. Dede Uzor warned.