Nigerians have been warned against selling their National Identification Numbers (NINs) to unauthorised individuals or organisations in exchange for monetary compensation under any condition.
The National Identity Management Commission (NIMC), gave the warning in a statement by the Head of Corporate Communications of the commission, Dr Kayode Adegoke on Wednesday.
The warning followed reports that some residents in Anambra State were being lured to submit their NINs for money, a practice the commission described as illegal and punishable under the NIMC Act No. 23 of 2007, the Data Protection Act, and the Cybercrime Act.
NIMC said the illegal activity had been brought to its attention and that arrests had already been made in collaboration with security agencies.
He said: “The National Identity Management Commission has been notified of the activities of unauthorised individuals or organisations purportedly asking for the submission of the National Identification Number of Anambra residents in exchange for money.”
The commission said upon receiving the information on the activities of the unscrupulous individuals, NIMC, in conjunction with the Department of State Services (DSS) and the Nigeria Police Force (NPF), swiftly arrested the culprits, saying they were being interrogated and would be made to face the full wrath of the law.
