Isa Pantami suspends NIMC staff over ‘extortion’

Isa Pantami, minister for communications and digital economy, has directed the immediate suspension of some National Identity Management Commission (NIMC) staff in Bauchi and Kaduna over allegations of extortion.

The directive was in a press statement issued on Sunday and signed by Kayode Adegoke, head of corporate communications of NIMC.

NIMC in a post on Twitter on December 31 had warned its staff not to take advantage of the rush for NIN enrolment to extort applicants.

“The punishment for extortion if convicted is seven years imprisonment as stipulated in sections 14, 20, & 21, of the Independent Corrupt Practices Commission (ICPC) Act and Sections 10 & 12 of the Code of Conduct Bureau and Tribunal Act,” it had said.

The  suspension was said to be due to a public outcry that some NIMC staff were capitalising on the rush for NIN enrolment to extort Nigerians.

“The Honourable Minister of Communications and Digital Economy, Dr. Ali Isa Ibrahim (Pantami) has directed the immediate suspension of staff members involved in extortion of applicants at the NIMC Bauchi and Kaduna State offices,” the statement said.

“This directive came on the heels of public outcry that some personnel of NIMC, particularly at some enrolment centers in Bauchi and Kaduna capitalizing on the rush for NIN by the public to perpetuate fraudulent activities inimical to policy directive of the Federal Government which requires mobile network subscribers to update their SIM registration with a valid National Identification Number (NIN).

“The Honourable Minister restated his zero tolerance stance on extortion, bribery and corruption and further noted that such unethical practices if allowed to fester and not nip in the bud by taking stiffer actions against the culprits, has the potency of derailing the SIM-NIN Integration project.”

NIMC said enrolment for NIN is free of charge and it asked citizens to report any act of extortion by its staff.