NIN: Politicians, Bribery Hampering Registration In Enugu

Politicians who ‘smuggle’ their relatives as well as corruption by officials of the National Identity Management Commission have marred smooth registration for the National Identity Numbers (NIN) in one of the centres in the Enugu metropolis, THE WHISTLER gathered on Friday.

Our correspondent, who monitored the exercise at the new state secretariat, witnessed complaints of hundreds of applicants who besiege the sub-office to get registered. Although they were given numbers to enhance orderliness of the exercise, many of them say the exercise has been sluggish.

An applicant, who did not mention his name, said, “I have spent about three days struggling to obtain my NIN, all to no avail. The arrangement in giving us numbers and scheduling when we are to get registered should have been a good solution, but Nigerian factors still play out. You can stand like this and one big man will come with his relatives and smuggle them to register. And once it is 4pm, we leave. It has been frustrating.”

A lady in the same category said, “some people pay for express services, up to N5, 000. It used to be N3, 000, but the price has increased. It is not open, but those who pay for express services easily walk into the office and get registered, while some of us are made to suffer. There are agents within. I regret not registering this before this rush.”

Investigations show that the state secretariat office of the commission could register up to 100 persons in a day if the operating machines do not malfunction.

One of the registering officials, however, denied any irregularities, but admitted that some highly-placed government officials do bring in some applicants, and they get attended to without the registration procedures.

At Enugu North LGA headquarters, housing another registering centre, an applicant said she was told to pay N10, 000, which she rejected. In her words, “I would rather spend my days here than pay such. One day, it will get to my turn.”