The House of Representatives has queried the unauthorised linking of National Identity Numbers (NIN) to SIM cards by telecommunication companies in Nigeria.
The House also urged the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) to investigate reports and take immediate actions against any telecom service provider found culpable in the practice.
It also urged the National Identity Management Commission (NIMC) to confirm whether the linking of NIN numbers by telecom service providers was authorized and in compliance with relevant laws and regulations.
This was sequel to the adoption of a motion On “The Need To Investigate The Unsolicited And Illegal Linking Of National Identification Number (NIN) By Telecom Service Providers In Nigeria,” sponsored by Mr. Patrick Umoh, the House Leader.
Leading the debate on the motion, Mr. Umoh said that the House notes with concern the recent reports of telecom service providers in Nigeria linking National Identification Numbers (NIN) to subscribers’ lines without their consent, thereby exposing them to criminal activities and subjecting legitimate NIN holders to grave risk.
“Recognizes that the action is a clear violation of the Nigeria Data Protection Act, 2023 and the Nigeria Data Protection Regulation (NDPR) 2019, which guarantee the right to privacy and protection of personal data of every Nigerian;
“Aware that the National Identification Number (NIN) was established to streamline the verification and identification of persons and enhance security in Nigeria;
“Also aware that the potential risks and consequences of this unauthorized data linking includes identity theft, financial fraud, and other forms of cybercrime that have become rife in Nigeria lately;
“Further aware that innocent citizens have been wrongly implicated in crimes, suffer reputational damage, harassment and legal challenges for crimes they know nothing about,” he said.
While ruling on the motion, the Deputy Speaker, Mr. Benjamin Kalu who presided over plenary mandated the House Committees on Communications and Interior to conduct a thorough investigation into the matter and report back to the House for further legislative business within four weeks.
Comments are closed.