We’ve not suspended issuance of national ID cards, says NIMC

The National Identity Management Commission (NIMC) has denied suspending the issuance of cards.

This was contained in a statement by the commission in Abuja yesterday.

It said the clarification became necessary following some newspapers’ reports, titled “28.5m Nigerians agonise over suspension of national identity card issuance.”

The statement described the report as imaginary.

The commission explained that Nigerians could pick up their cards by transferring them to their current state of residence.

The statement added that the National Identity Number (NIN), and not the national identity card, is a requirement for identity-based transactions.

“Accordingly, all individuals who, upon completion of their enrolment, have received an SMS inviting them to proceed to the NIMC office where they enrolled to pick up their cards from April 3, 2018.” the statement said.

It urged persons who have not received such SMS to check the status of their cards on the NIMC website, www.nimc.gov.ng.

The commission further advised citizens and legal residents who have also relocated from where they enrolled, to visit any NIMC office closest to them to request a card transfer form.

This, they would fill and submit to the state coordinator for processing.

The statement implored Nigerians and legal residents that the NIN is the unique identifier, and most important token issued by the commission, and not the physical e-ID Card.