Buhari asks agencies capturing biometrics to issue single identification numbers

The federal government has directed all agencies capturing the biometrics of Nigerians to urgently aggregate their records so as to provide a unique identity for each citizen.

Aliyu Aziz, director-general of the National Identity Management Commission (NIMC), disclosed this to state house correspondents after a meeting with Vice-President Yemi Osinbajo at the presidential villa, Abuja on Monday.

He said the vice-president gave the presidential marching order at the meeting.

According to Aziz, all the agencies that are in charge of capturing biometrics are expected to aggregate all the data bases and subsequently give every Nigerian and legally resident persons a unique identification.

The director-general said such unique identification number would allow every person to have a single identity and can be easily traced.

“The number will also make it easy for government to reach the citizen with certain benefits that would soon be provided,” he said.

“Through the identification number, everyone will get his/her own share.”