Pantami
Isa Pantami, Minister for Communication and Digital Economy has clarified on an eariler statement in which he said Nigerians without National Identification Number (NIN) risk up to 14 years in jail.
The minister while clarifying, said he was misquoted.
He had in the earlier statement said that registration for NIN is not optional, but a mandate by law, warning that failure to enroll precludes defaulting citizens and residents from operating certain functions like using banks and communication services.
Clarifying further, Pantami said he meant NIMC has been 14 years in existence, since 2007.
The Federal Government extended NIN-SIM linkage’s deadline to the 6th of April, 2021, with an ultimatum to telcos to block all SIM cards not involved in the linkage process.
However, Justice Maureen Onyetenu of the Federal High Court, Lagos on March 24, ordered the extension by two months in a suit brought by a legal practitioner, Monday Ubani.
“An order halting the said ultimatum given by the 1st, 3rd and 4th Respondents to telecommunication operators to block all SIM Cards that are not registered with NIN.” .. Justice Onyetenu ruled.
Watch video of his earlier statement below:
