Somto BisinaThe National Identity Management Commission (NIMC) has stated that none of its officials or licensed agents is authorized to register foreigners both in Nigeria and in other countries.
The Commission also stated that its staff or agents are not authorized and do not also engage in registering Nigerians living in other countries much less foreigners.
This was contained in a statement signed by the NIMC director general, Engr Aliyu Aziz, released on Friday, October 21, 2022.
The commission said its attention has been drawn to reports making the rounds in the media, about the arrest by the Nigerian Army, of two persons purported to be carrying out enrolment of people in Niger Republic and being erroneously referred to as NIMC officials.
The commission lamented that while the Nigerian Army clearly identified the suspects as fake NIMC officials, some media organisations described the fraudsters as their [NIMC] officials without duly checking with the agency to know if indeed such persons were its officials.
NIMC, an agency of the Ministry of Communications and Digital Economy, said that as the army rightly pointed out, the purported officials are fake and fraudsters meaning that their claim of being NIMC staff has been proven from the beginning to be false.
“We wish to state categorically that neither NIMC officials nor staff of the NIMC licensed enrolment agents across the country are authorised, nor do they go from one country to another, let alone from Nigeria across the borders, to enrol Nigerians much less foreigners.
“So far, NIMC has a number of licensed diaspora enrolment agents in over 38 countries operating over 152 centres across the world strictly to enrol Nigerians in those countries. The list of the Diaspora enrolment licensed companies, which has been published over time in the media.
“The public is by this information put on notice and advised that NIMC does not and will not authorise its staff or its agents to go across any borders to register non-Nigerians, as this is not part of our mandate.
“Fraudsters and impersonators should be pointed out for who they are: criminal elements, and the cooperation of the public is required in assisting security agencies in their work of curbing these crimes in our society.”
The commission commended the Nigerian Army for the goog job they are doing and for particularly swiftly arresting the fake officials.
“NIMC also commends all other security agencies for their untiring efforts in collaborating with us and other sister agencies in the efforts to rid our country of criminal elements,” the statement added.
“NIMC wishes to commend the Nigerian Army for the good job they’re always doing, and more particularly in this respect. NIMC also commends all other security agencies for their untiring efforts in collaborating with us and other sister agencies in the efforts to rid our country of criminal elements
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