The Federal Government has discovered over 6,000 nationals of Niger Republic who were illegally registered in Nigeria’s National Identity Number (NIN) database, prompting their removal.
The National Identity Management Commission (NIMC) uncovered these irregularities following a nationwide data cleanup ordered by President Bola Tinubu.
The cleanup directive was issued to an inter-ministerial committee tasked with ensuring accurate and comprehensive data for the National Social Register, which is used for the Federal Government’s social investment programs.
According to sources within the Presidency, Minister of Interior, Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, confirmed that the NINs obtained by the Nigerien nationals have been withdrawn from the database.
“The Minister of Interior gave the briefing because NIMC falls under his ministry. He stated that NIMC is currently tidying up the database after discovering over 6,000 individuals from Niger Republic who had obtained NINs. However, their records have now been removed from the system,” a source disclosed.
Additionally, the Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs requires the cleaned-up database for its social register, while other ministries, such as the Ministry of Education, need the data for programs like student loans and national planning.
The Federal Government has reiterated its commitment to ensuring the integrity of the national identity database, preventing fraudulent registrations, and ensuring that only eligible Nigerians benefit from government programs.