Fraud Alleged In NIN Applicants’ Registration Exercise In Effurun

Hundreds of applicants seeking to be register for the National Identity Number (NIN), have alleged fraud being perpetrated by officials in Effurun, Uvwie Council Area of Delta State.

BIGPEN understands that there was no booking system for applicants in Warri and Effurun offices of NIMC as the areas were rowdy with officials subjecting applicants to part with money ranging from N5,000 to N3,000 before they are allowed the NIN’s enrolment form.

Specifically, at Effurun, investigation revealed that the officials at the National Identity Management Commission (NIMC) office located at the council secretariat allegedly hoard the forms which they sell to higher bidders between N5,000 and N3,000.

It was gathered that many applicants who thronged the council gate at the wee hours of the day on Wednesday were disappointed at early as 10:am when the manager of the NIMC in the council area shut down the facility on account that there were no more forms to give to applicants.

An official, however, claimed that one of the applicant apparently frustrated by the poor management of the exercise turned off the generator set that was supplying electricity to the facility hence the shut down of operation.

Multiple applicants interviewed by journalists alleged that they are treated shambling compared to those who paid for the form and allowed ease access to the biometric capturing room.

One applicant who simply have her name as Grace, said she saw one of the official collecting N40,000 from a woman and handling her bunch of enrolment forms. She said that it appears the lady came with her extended family members who became tired of waiting endlessly for the officials to enroll and capture them.

Insiders revealed that NIMC’s officials connived with some council staff who are trading the forms. “They come to you and ask you if you need it urgently, if you say yes, they will take down you name and secretly brings out the form for you to fill and thereafter enroll you with a Very important Personality (VIP) categorization”.

It was reliably gathered that some staffer of Uvwie Local Government are making serious  business out of the overwhelming situation as they allegedly collect between N9,000 and N10,000 from desperate applicants who are not ready to wait for the snail-paced enrolment of applicants.

“People are paying between N9,000 to N10,000 in Uvwie from roadside hawkers of NIN enrolment form but if you want to do it inside you have to struggle and bribe your way in for the form which goes between N3,000 or N5,000. If you want it free of charge as ordered by the federal government, be prepare to come here by 4:am and struggle to write your name down and if you are lucky you will surely get the form but you cannot get the NIN number immediately like those paying for it”, one applicant who gave his name as Mudiaga said.

One woman, with baby strapped to her back, complained that the officials are treating applicants with disdain. She said that she has been in the council as early as 6:30am and was yet to get a form as at 10: am when the facility was shut down.

When contact, the NIMC Manager in Uvwie, who refused to mention his name, debunked allegations that officials at the office was collecting money from applicants.

He, also dismissed insinuations making the round that they deliberately made the exercise tedious and stressful for applicants so that they can within the rush period make huge money from it.

According to him, the allegations of fraud being raised are not perpetrated by NIMC’s officials but touts whom he claimed usually corner applicants along the road and bill them for the registration.

BIGPEN recalls that following similar report that officials of NIMC were allegedly demanding money from Nigerians to issue the National Identity Number (NIN), the Minister of Communications and Digital Economy, Dr Isa Pantami, recently stated that investigations have been launched following complaints by applicants.

In a statement, the Technical Assistant on Information Technology to the Minister, Dr. Femi Adeluyi, noted that the issuance of NIN comes at no cost to Nigerians as the cost of the registration was being shouldered by the federal government.

“The National Identity Number is completely free for all Nigerians and legal residents with Resident Permit from the Nigeria Immigration Service. The National Identity Number is the right of every citizen; based on the National Identity Management Commission (NIMC), Act 2007,” he said.

The Minister said he had instructed the Director General of the NIMC, to investigate the allegations with a view to bringing the perpetrators, if any, to book.

“The Director-General will also provide a platform for such allegations to be reported,” Pantami added.