The Nigerian government has revealed that over 6,000 nationals from the Niger Republic fraudulently acquired National Identity Numbers (NINs) through illegal means.
The Minister of Interior, Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, disclosed this information during a briefing to the Federal Executive Council on Tuesday, February 4, 2025.
According to a source within the presidency who spoke to Daily Post, Tunji-Ojo confirmed that the National Identity Management Commission (NIMC) has since removed these 6,000 fraudulent entries from its database, addressing the illegal activity.
“The Minister stated that NIMC is actively cleaning up the database after discovering that more than 6,000 individuals from the Niger Republic had unlawfully obtained NINs, but they have now been purged,” the source explained.
Read Also: US Election: Trump hints on running for third term
In addition to the NIN issue, Tunji-Ojo’s responsibilities have expanded to include overseeing the country’s humanitarian ministry, which manages conditional cash transfers and various welfare programs.
The Director-General of NIMC, Bisoye Coker-Odusote, also confirmed the development, emphasising the agency’s commitment to ensuring transparency and accuracy in government payments, especially those related to humanitarian efforts.
This recent revelation adds to the ongoing concerns about illegal and fraudulent NIN registrations. Back in October 2022, the Defence Headquarters in Abuja reported that Nigerian security forces, in collaboration with the police and the Nigeria Immigration Service, intercepted two individuals posing as NIMC officials.
The suspects were allegedly involved in registering non-Nigerians, particularly from the Niger Republic, for fake NINs, with reports indicating that these fraudulent agents were charging a fee for the service.
 through illegal means.){kind=link}