NIMC Uncovers Syndicate Issuing Fake National Identity Numbers, Arrests Suspects.Â
The National Identity Management Commission (NIMC) has uncovered a syndicate of individuals impersonating its employees and issuing fake national identity numbers to unsuspecting Nigerians.
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The commission’s Director General, Abisoye Coker-Odusote, made the revelation at a press briefing in Abuja on Friday, stating that some suspects had been arrested and were undergoing prosecution with relevant security agencies.
According to Coker-Odusote, the syndicate operated by masquerading as business vendors and cyber cafe operators, creating fake links and software to generate counterfeit National Identity Numbers (NINs). She emphasized that these fake NINs did not reach the NIMC’s server, resulting in numerous Nigerians falling victim to scams.
The NIMC boss declined to disclose the number of persons being interrogated but assured that they would be prosecuted for cybercrimes once the investigation was concluded. She also mentioned that a customer had complained about being extorted of N120,000 to modify her birth certificate, leading to the discovery of the syndicate.
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In a related development, Coker-Odusote announced that over 107.34 million Nigerians had been enrolled into the NIN database as of May 2024, up from 104 million in December 2023. The NIN has become a crucial identifier for various government initiatives aimed at enhancing security, governance, and service delivery.
Efforts are also underway to harmonize the identity database of ministries, departments, and agencies of government with the NIMC to create a central identity database for the country.
