NIMC sacks 406 over forgery, fake promotion letters

THE National Identity Management Commission (NIMC) yesterday said it has sacked 406 of its employees for forging appointment, conversion and promotion letters, saying that they have been benefiting financially from the fraud and they are to be handed over to security agencies for criminal prosecution.

The General Manager, Corporate Communication, NIMC, Abdulhammid Umar, who made this known yesterday in a statement, said the “irregularities were discovered during the members of staff audit and verification exercise to absorb and integrate about 1,000 members of staff of the Department of National Civil Registration (DNCR) and the Office of the Head of Civil Service of the Federation (OHCSF) that were bequeathed to NIMC.”

Umar, who said a number of persons were cleared after a rigorous process that involved a sustained background check and confirmation of tendered documents as response to the queries while some others were to be subjected to further investigation through a valid disciplinary committee set up to determine the veracity of their claims, said the commission had to embark on the exercise to ensure that the national database of the project is not compromised.

The statement read in part: “At the initial stage, the audit turned up some fake and unverifiable appointment/promotion/conversion letter belonging to some members of staff of the defunct DNCR. Against this background and for the purpose of justice, equity and fair-hearing, the defaulters were queried appropriately.

“A number of persons were cleared after the process that involved a sustained background check and confirmation of tendered documents as response to the queries, while some others were to be subjected to further investigation through a valid disciplinary committee set up to determine the veracity of their claims.

“Following all of these due processes and a right to fair-hearing, NIMC discovered that 406 members of staff obtained fake conversion, upgrading, appointment and promotion letters.

“NIMC wishes to state that it remains committed to zero tolerance policy on corruption and fraud-related offences and will not be seen to lack in its effort to maintain the integrity of the NIMS, hence the reason to do the needful with the defaulters who had been sacked and will be handed over to the relevant security agencies to deal with the criminal aspects.”

The commission, which warned that no individual, union or group under any guise will be allowed to compromise or undermine the nine years of the country’s investment and efforts in achieving identity management system, said that the distribution and issuance of the National e-ID card has started in batches in the 36 state capitals and the FCT.

“All registered applicants are advised to proceed to the centre of enrolment once he/she receives an SMS from NIMC”, the commission said.