NIS may evict NIMC from Ikoyi office, accuses it of trading with NIN registration

By Christopher Oji

Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS) has threatened to evict National Identity Management Commission (NIMC) attached to its Ikoyi passport office, Lagos, for allegedly trading with the ongoing National Identity Number (NIN) registration and giving immigration a bad name.

But NIMC has denied the allegation.

A source at NIMC told Daily Sun that there were fears the agency might be kicked going by threats by immigration boss, Mrs. Doris Braimah,  who has been bombarded with complaints of racketeering by applicants at the office.

Braimah, it was learnt, had summoned an emergency meeting between her office and NIMC, and warned that NIS would not hesitate to evict NIMC if the racketeering was not stopped.

“You are here to collaborate with NIS to reduce the burdens of applicants. You must desist from trading with registration. If I get any report on that, I will not hesitate to shut you out of the premises. Anybody who is not an applicant has no business in this premises. You are not part of immigration but we are accommodating you; unfortunately, you are abusing the opportunity.

“If you have to be in this compound, you must adhere to the rules and regulations of NIS. The problem is that people don’t understand the difference between your organisation and NIS. So they mistake you for us. I repeat, I will not hesitate to shut you out if you don’t change. Let’s work together in peace. All applicants must be identified by an immigration office for us to reduce crowd in the premises,” she said.

The Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) had earlier issued a two-week ultimatum to telecommunication operators to block all SIM cards that are not registered with the NIN. But the senate waded in and ordered an extension. This has created desperation and anxiety in many Nigerians, leading to large crowds and sharp practises at most NIMC registration centres nationwide.