President Bola Tinubu has set up an inter-ministerial
committee to investigate allegations of telecom providers linking National
Identification Numbers to subscribers’ lines without their consent.
Impeccable sources in the Presidency told our
correspondent that Tinubu gave the directive on Tuesday during the Federal
Executive Council meeting at the State House, Abuja.
The committee has the National Security Adviser, Nuhu
Ribadu, the Minister of Interior, Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo; Budget and Economic
Planning, Atiku Bagudu; Communications, Innovation and Digital Economy, Dr
Bosun Tijani and the Humanitarian Affairs, Dr Nentawe Yilwatda.
Tinubu, who listened to a briefing by the Minister of
Interior, directed that the committee consider the matter and provide the
Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs and Poverty Reduction with accurate data to
carry out its mandate.
One source privy to the deliberations at Tuesday’s FEC
meeting revealed, “It is an inter-ministerial committee; the President asked
the Minister of Humanitarian Affairs, the Minister of Interior, the Minister of
Budget and Economic Planning, the Minister of [Communications, Innovation and]
Digital Economy and that of Education, too, to figure out what is going on and
deal with the issue.
“The National Security Adviser is also on that
committee. The interior minister is there because, you know, NIMC is under the
interior.”
Another source, who asked to remain anonymous, said,
“It is true; the President set up a small committee to take care of the
challenge of the NIN-SIM linkage. The one involving Telcos. He wants that issue
resolved as soon as possible.”
However, it was not clear what timeline the President
gave to the committee to investigate the matter and revert to him.
Reports reveal that some telecommunications providers
linked customers’ National Identification Numbers to their mobile SIM cards
without obtaining consent.
Subscribers discovered that their lines had been
linked to unfamiliar NIN records or had their own NIN associated with multiple
lines without explicit authorisation.
Consumer advocacy groups and affected individuals have
called for investigations into how such linking occurred, emphasising the need
for improved transparency and stronger data protection measures.
On Wednesday, the House of Representatives initiated
an investigation into the matter
This followed a motion sponsored by Rep. Patrick Umoh
and Professor Julius Ihonvbere during Wednesday’s plenary.
Umoh, who moved the motion, expressed concerns about
the risks posed by this unauthorised linkage, particularly the exposure of
subscribers to criminal activities and the potential harm to legitimate NIN
holders
He argued that this practice violates the Nigeria Data
Protection Act, 2023, and the Nigeria Data Protection Regulation, 2019, which
protects the privacy and personal data of all Nigerians.
“This action is a clear violation of the Nigeria Data
Protection Act and the NDPR, which guarantee the right to privacy and data
protection for every Nigerian,” Umoh argued, adding that “The linking of NIN to
SIM cards without consent exposes citizens to serious risks, including identity
theft, financial fraud, and other forms of cybercrime.”
The lawmaker also highlighted how innocent citizens
have been wrongfully implicated in crimes, facing reputational damage,
harassment, and legal challenges due to unauthorised data linking
Therefore, the House tasked its Committees on
Communications and Interior with investigating the matter and submitting a
report in four week
It also urged the Nigerian Communications Commission
to investigate telecom providers involved and take immediate action against
those found wanting.
Tuesday’s FEC meeting was the second in the two days,
as council members considered 101 memos in both sittings.
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