The National Identity Management Commission ( NIMC) has raised the alarm over recent reports making the rounds that eligible applicants must pay certain sums of money before they can be allowed to enrol for the National Identification Number (NIN).
He added further that enrolment is absolutely free as he cautioned applicants to beware of fraudsters posing as NIMC staffs.
According to the General Manager, corporate communications, NIMC, Mr Abdul-Hamid Umar, enrollment into the National identity Database (NIDB) is absolutely free, and no citizens or Legal Residents is expected to pay for it.
He said it has come to the attention of NIMC that certain Business center miscreants posing as NIMC agents, use banners bearing the NIMC or presidential logos at their business centers , and charge eligible applicants for pre-enrollment ,making applicants believe they are paying for the NIN or the National e-ID card.
Mr Abdul-Hamid however, noted that NIMC is not obvious of the fact that persons who visit business centres and cyber cafes for online pre-enrollment must pay for the use of internet which is cost of services rendered by the business owners but condemned the report that the payment was either for the NIN or the national e-ID card or that the money goes to NIMC.
He emphasized that NIMC has no business charging anybody for enrollment into the National Identity Database, NIDB, enrollment completely free, and anyone who is asked to pay by a NIMC officials must report to the nearest security post.
Noting that it was safer and faster for eligible applicants who have access to the internet to pre-enroll themselves via the NIMC pre-enrollment portal using their personal computers, CPs internet enabled phones or tablets at their convenient; he called on Nigerians who do not have such access to visit the NIMC enrollment center where they will be attended to.
The General Manager further noted that the NIN and National e-ID card can only be issued to applicants who have successfully completed the enrollment process at the NIMC enrollment centres where they enrolled and no business centre or individual has the right to do that.
He cautioned Nigerians to be beware of fraudsters posing as NIMC agents or staffs ,stating that applicants can call the NIMC call centre Number 0700callNIMC or 07002255646 for any inquiry about the enrollment process and procedures.
