The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) recently made a statement exposing the illegal selling of personal information, including National Identification Numbers (NIN), by certain Nigerians, which has deeply alarmed the National Identity Management Commission (NIMC). EFCC also declared that this is on the rise and the reason for the statement release.
Young people are now allegedly promising victims between ₦1,500 and ₦2,000 in exchange for their personal information, which is subsequently sold to specific Fintech businesses for as much as ₦5,000, according to the EFCC. According to NIMC, the practice is a major security violation that will have substantial repercussions for the impacted NIN holders.
The Commission made it clear that it will not be responsible for any personal information that people willingly divulge for monetary advantage or inducement, whether directly or through a proxy.
In a statement released in Abuja on Sunday, Dr. Kayode Adegoke, Head of Corporate Communications at the NIMC, called the trend “a serious security concern” with “grave consequences for the NIN holders,” and has repeatedly cautioned Nigerians against disclosing their NIN or other private information to unapproved persons or entities. “Before services are provided, it is essential that all NINs submitted for service access be correctly validated by the appropriate service providers.”
Adegoke said, “The NIMC would like to make it very clear that it will not be held accountable for any personal information that is disclosed by an individual directly or through a proxy in order to obtain financial gain or inducement.”
He reminded the public that “Nigerians have been informed repeatedly in the past by the NIMC not to disclose their NIN to any unauthorised individual or organisation,” and cautioned that indiscriminately releasing personal information exposes citizens to identity theft, fraud, and other illegal activity.
In order to secure users’ identities, the agency also advised service providers to confirm any NINs submitted before allowing access to any services.
NIMC encouraged the public to download and utilize the NINAuth App, which is accessible on the Google Play Store and Apple iOS Stores, in order to improve data security and personal privacy. Through the app, users may access a range of secure digital identity services, secure their NIN, and manage who has access to their personal information.
Adegoke emphasized that protecting one’s digital identity is still a shared responsibility and asked people to keep their NINs as private as their ATM passwords or PINs.
Reaffirming its commitment to safeguarding the National Identity Database, the Commission encouraged Nigerians to exercise caution and vigilance when handling their personal information.
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