The National Union of the Police Retirees, Kaduna State Branch says it is warming up for a mother of all protests to remind the National Assembly and subsequently, President Bola Tinubu to sign the pension exit bills.
The bill to exit the Nigeria Police from Contributory Pension Scheme and the bill for the establishment of the Nigeria Police Pension Board, as the police retirees are patiently waiting for fruition, but there is the tendency that, the promise by the National Assembly or the Bill to be assented to by the President may not be fulfilled, as September is winding up.
The uncertainty is contained in a press release signed by the Chairman of the Police Retirees Kaduna State Chapter, CSP Mannir Lawal Zaria rtd and the Vice Chairman, ASP Danlami Maigamo rtd and made available to journalists in Kaduna.
CSP Mannir Lawal Zaria Rtd lamented that the police retirees under the Contributory Pension Scheme are dying immensely due to poverty and hunger.
“The union is also pleading that, as the death toll is on the increase among the police retirees under the contributory Pension Scheme and the prices of commodity of any type are also on the increase” He said.
“Federal Government should come to the aid of the police retirees under the contributory Pension Scheme before they all perished by immediately paying the following allowances to the police retirees under the contributory Pension Scheme”.
” Two point five percent differential, the Federal Government Palliative and three consecutive pension increase by the Federal Government as well as the minimum wage increase”.
“During the Police Retirees Kaduna State Branch monthly meeting held last Wednesday at Police Officers Mess Kaduna, members became shocked and worried, as there is a sign of unfulfillment of a promise that begin to manifest its self and can be recalled that, on the 22/09/24″.
The National Union of the Police Retirees under the contributory Pension Scheme carried out a nationwide peaceful protest to the National Assembly Abuja”.
“During the protest, the Chairman Senate Committee for Police Affairs, Senator Ahmed Abdulkadir Malamadori, addressed some of the retirees in his office, where he promised the retirees that, before September 24, they would be exited from the Contributory Pension Scheme to the Define Benefit Scheme (DBS). that the two Police Bills would be Harmonized”.
“Sequel to this sign of un fulfilment, the blood pressure of many concerned police retirees has risen above maximum”
“Therefore, the Kaduna Branch has unanimously agreed that, if by the end of this September, the Nigeria Police is not exempted from contributory Pension Scheme it would embark on protest”.
Executive Governor of Kaduna state, Sen. Uba Sani has weathered storm and stepped up actions to deliver service to his people, despite the present economic bites. This is reflected in the Governor’s political interventions in education sector and road infrastructural development, a landmark achievements, he has made less than two years into his first tenure of administration.
The Governor deliberately chooses actions in those areas to convince people that democracy has a lot of benefits to bestow on ordinary citizens. This political effort is akin to the Kaduna state former Governor, Ahmed Muhammed Makarfi’s understanding and applications of democracy in action, such which places citizens at the centre and not at the edge!
Uba Sani is a Comrade to the core. Consequently, he is not unaware of the plight of the people around him. Thus therefore, he takes delight in attending to their despair. With this knowledge of him, Uba was wooed into politics by the youths of Kaduna Central and requested him to contest election to the Senate, even when his desire was to contesting Governorship race. In their own considered opinion, the youths, Uba’s political admirers, urged him to go to the Senate for effective representative. At that time, the zone was extremely facing security challenges.
But because the overture was coming from the youths, Sani had no choice than to accept the offer. And like obedient servant, he went into the struggle and expressly won the race, with the support of his political allies. That was the benefit of listening to the voice of the people, highly respected owners of the land.
When the youths saw Uba’s performance and they were impressed, they on their own volition, decided to go into discussions with him to step out of the senate and consider contesting Governorship election. This time around, even the elders of Kaduna North were not left out but involving in mobilizing support for him to defeat his co-contestants. Eventually, the man of the people was returned victorious. That was the beginning of his political/democratic journey.
To whom much is given, it is said, much is expected. Thus therefore, this proverb explains the political development between Uba Sani and of course the people of Kaduna state, the crocodile city, within a short-while.
When he was responding to questions from inquisitive journalists on what would be his approach to his mandate, haven won his Governorship election, Uba told people by reminding his listeners that “Democracy is a Government of the People by the People and for the People”. Speaking further, he said what this meant to him, is that “my electoral victory is a vote for service to the people of Kaduna state”, stressing: “the people, my people have spoken and God has chosen me to be the governor. So, it is a responsibility bestowed on me”, he noted and therefore declared: “I will be open to all and listen to all ideas that can move our state forward”, Governor Uba Sani promised, affirming: “I will be a Governor for all. All things being equal, the people of Kaduna state are expected to experience a new touch in their lives”, he assured.
Beneficiaries of this assurance were in the first-instance, students of various higher institutions: Universities, Polytechnics and Colleges of Education, among others who have been staying at home. They were unable to return to school because they could not afford to pay the tuition fees. The helpless students, it would be recalled, had cried out for help to the government of Governor el-rufai to have a second look at their plights. The Students Union Government leaders attempted to make representations to Governor el-rufai but their efforts were fruitless. Both the helpless students with their poor parents were left to their own fates awaiting Uba Sani becoming helmsman of the state.
The Governor, in his effort to rights perceived wrongs, decided to review downward tuition fees to minimum level, with a view to returning the students to school and continue their educations. This decision was carried out and both the students, parents and the state were better-of amidst ill feeling from certain quarters. Residents of Kaduna state and of course, passersby, saw hell and had tale of stories to tell and shared their experiences with others of what they went through in the hands of aggrieved hoodlums suspected to be students. But since after the democratic tuition fee review, sanity was restored.
Uba had in his campaign, promised to “make Kaduna good again”. Thus, besides filing potholes and covering abandoned gutter arising from attempts to construct roads, most abandoned projects of his predecessor have been taken care of. Such developmental projects cut across the state of 23 local government areas. Meanwhile, Uba has had the thought to complete Kaduna Rural transformation with a view to give people, real sense of belonging.
Security challenges scarring people within and around Birnin Gwari, have been a recurring decimal. To this end, notable personalities who included traditional rulers have made representations to appropriate quarters in search of solution to the worrisome development, prior to the emergence of Uba Sani as chief executive of the state. All said and done, Sani (the Idi Amin of our time) went in, stepped up actions and now the situations have been arrested, paving way for people to do what they were unable to do before now. In order to cement the arrangement, the State Rural Transformation Programme had in August 2024, flagged off actions linking roads in 62 Communities, for security wise.
Essentially, the Governor’s administration is particularly interested in rural transformation to: checkmate rural-urban migration. This is with a view to boosting the economy of the rural communities.
The beneficiaries of the total 35.6km roads reconstruction project included Bagoma, Bagumi, Ungwan Fari, Idi Labo, Awaro, Tashan Keji, and Sabon Layi.
This well thought-of political decision, looked like a rebirth for the people of Birnin Cwari emirate as well as others who will have the reason to pass through the area in fears over the years, marked the beginning of restoration of peace and stability to this long suffering and troubled Local Government! .
The local Government is a major gateway to many parts of Nigeria. It is a resource-rich local government because it has huge mineral deposits and of course arable land for farming. It also has a large forest but unfortunately, that too has been a source of pains for the helpless citizens and passers-by. That has increased the challenge to security forces.
However, Governor Uba happily and joyfully announced that his administration is frantically making efforts to stabilizing the unacceptable situation just as all hands are on deck to “facilitating the resumption of business activities” in this local government, as according to him: “we want the people to pick up the pieces of their shattered lives”, adding “our administration’s Rural Transformation Drive is fast gathering momentum”, he said.
Uba continued unfolding his plans, saying his government is poised to addressing infrastructural deficit with a view to effectively accommodating helpless citizens, and “bridging the urban-rural divide, reinventing local economies, boosting agriculture and making rural living a pleasurable experience.
For even development, the Governor said his “government is also targeting the urban poor”, Uba crowned it all, lamenting that “they have suffered years of utter neglect”. Consequently, “we are committed to building befitting infrastructure in areas where they inhabit”, the Governor pledged to give hope to the hopeless!
The Federal Government has described mining as crucial to propelling Nigeria’s economic transformation.
Dr Mary Ogbe, the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Solid Minerals Development, said this at a press conference to herald the ninth edition of the annual mining week on Wednesday in Abuja.
Ogbe said that Nigeria possessed critical minerals for energy transition, which offered significant opportunities for its domestic industrialisation and foreign investment, both of which were vital to national development agenda.
“The theme for this year’s conference, which we will reveal in the coming weeks, is centered on our shared commitment to utilising our vast mineral wealth to propel Nigeria’s economic transformation.
“This vision is in line with the Federal Government’s Renewed Hope Agenda, which emphasises value addition, job creation, and positioning Nigeria as a strategic player in the global commodities market,” she said.
She said that the platform typically offered participants opportunities to expand their business networks, share knowledge, and promote growth in the mining sector.
“The Nigeria Mining Week has grown to become the premier platform for stakeholders in the mining industry, both from within Nigeria and across the globe.
“It provides a platform to gather and engage in meaningful dialogue about the limitless opportunities that Nigeria’s mining sector presents.
“This annual gathering has consistently served as a catalyst for advancing the discourse on the critical role our mineral resources play in driving national economic growth.
“This year’s edition is poised to continue this tradition at an even higher level,” she said.
She said that the three-day event scheduled to start on Nov. 18 would be a period of reflection on the progress made so far in the sector by the current administration.
“Nigeria is home to some of the most valuable, untapped mineral resources in the world.
“As we continue to reform and restructure our regulatory frameworks, the focus remains on unlocking the full potential of these resources in ways that align with sustainable development goals,” she said.
On his part, Mr Dele Ayanleke, the National President of the Miners Association of Nigeria (MAN), said that the annual event provided a platform for incubating ideas aimed at sectoral reforms and policy formulation.
Ayanleke’s speech was delivered by the Legal Advisor of the association, Mr Shehu Birma.
“The Nigeria Mining Week provides unparalleled exposition of large, medium, or small scale industry players to latest emerging technologies and methodologies to enhance high yield of returns on mining investments, “ he said.
Ayanleke said that the event had attracted global attention to Nigeria’s rich mineral endowments, and had been matching indigenous industry players with their global counterparts for enhanced value-added enterprises.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the 2024 mining week is organised by MAN in partnership with Price-water Coopers(PwC) Nigeria and Vuka Group.
It is hosted by the Ministry of Solid Minerals Development.
Rotary District 9127 on Wednesday sensitised FCT students on ways to overcome suicidal thoughts, stigmatisation and overwhelming stress that might affect mental health.
Mike Nwanoshiri, the 9127 District 2024-2025 Governor, said the exercise was to commemorate the 2024 World Suicide Prevention Day with the theme “Changing the Narrative on Suicide” at Government Secondary School, Area 10, Garki, Abuja.
Nwanoshiri, who was represented by Nnoka Mbamefo, the Past District Governor, said the engagement was to enlighten youths on appropriate ways to address issues that may result to suicide and other mental health challenges.
He said “we are in school today to sensitise students and let them know that the best thing is not to take your life when you are stressed or overwhelmed. “You need to associate with people, talk to people, let your friends and people around you know how you feel, seek for help so that people can assist you in whatever area you are suffering.”
Joy Okoro, District Governor-elect, District 9127, noted the high records of suicide globally, stressing the need for stakeholders to engage in advocacies and support people to overcome challenges.
“Whatever is the problem you are going through, communicate with people, and let your parents be in the forefront of all the issues you are involved in,” she said.
Also, Ifidon Anita, a Guidance Counsellor and Chairperson, Organising Committee, said the club was in the school with mental health experts to counsel studentsgoing through challenges or trauma.
She added that “suicide is one of the major causes of death, especially among young people, with research showing that about 70 per cent of suicidal acts occur from the ages of 15 to 29 years, and some even less than 15 years.
“So, we came to the school with a large population to create awareness that suicide is not an option or end to a means.
“There are other means of overcoming whatever mental issues, pressure, frustration, anxiety, lack of encouragement and other challenges,” she said.
Chinaemeren Iwuanyanwi, a Mental Health Advocate, advised the students to break the silence by speaking out when faced with mental health issues.
She said “suicidal thoughts come from pain, anxiety and challenges. So, the more we open up and talk about these challenges and gain clarity on how to manage situations, the better for us and the less recorded cases of suicide.
Ugwu David, a student, said he has learnt ways to overcome challenges and not allow peer pressure or stigmatisation affect any decision he makes.
Similarly, Miracle Obiakor, a senior student, stressed the need for parents and guardians to support and encourage younger ones to address their challenges. (NAN)
Maryam Muhammad, 24, from Yobe state, northeast Nigeria was recruited into the Nigerian Army at the 241 Nguru battalion in Yobe state. It was a dream come true – she had always been dreaming of joining the military since childhood.
In June, Maryam and other recruits were sent to the Nigerian Army Depot in Zaria, Kaduna state, for a 5 – month training, which was to last till October.
On arrival at the training camp in Nigerian Army Depot Zaria, the recruits were made to repeat medical tests and physical examinations they took during the recruitment process at the Yobe state training camp. Thereafter, they were allowed to proceed for documentations, having been found without any problem.
However, barely three months into the training, precisely on 11th September, 2024, the story changed – Maryam, alongside six others were dismissed from the training camp on the grounds that they were pregnant.
What went wrong?
On arrival the Army Depot, the recruits were shared into the various company hostels. And as a practice, the Army conducts pregnancy tests “on female recruits after every two weeks,” Maryam said.
Last Month, the ladies were taken to the Military Recruiter Information Suites (MRIS), for a test, “everything was okay,” according to Maryam.
But three 3 weeks later, the Army officers called Maryam and 6 others and told them they were pregnant – they were detained them at the MRIS for 2 days. “We’re 7 but only two of us were locked up in the room, the remaining 5 have godfathers,”. Maryam said. The other 5 were left to remain in the hostel, while Maryam and a fellow recruit, named Hannatu, were under custody.
The two groups didn’t meet until when they were to be taken to the 44 Nigeria Army Reference Hospital in Kaduna. Even at that, Maryam said, the five female recruits were provided a different vehicle.
“We don’t know where the other five go. Only two of us were taken to 44 [Army Reference Hospital] for pregnancy test” Maryam said, adding that they only saw the other five “coming back together with us, I don’t know where they carried them to, because they have godfathers there,” she emphasized.
At the 44 Army Reference Hospital, Maryam and her fellow recruit, Hannatu, went through the pregnancy test and were scanned twice, all the results came out negative, but there was infection. Aside that, Maryam claimed they were “pronounced free of everything.” The doctor added that if the officers were doubting the test, they should bring back the ladies after two weeks.
On Monday 9th September, the ladies were taken back to the 44 Army Reference Hospital and scanned again, but this time around using a different doctor. Maryam said the doctor went on to insert an instrument through their private parts “to check if our wombs are carrying babies.”
Each time, “they’ll bring seven of us out of the hostels, but only two of us will be taken to enter the motor, and taken to 44, the others will not follow us,” Maryam said. The other recruits will enter different vehicle and taken to a different place.
At a point, the Doctors, Maryam said, “told our female leader to stop accusing us, we’re not pregnant, only infection, that’s the problem. They should go and treat us and allow us continue with our training.”
When the recruits were taken back to the Army Depot in Zaria, the female leader called the recruitment commander, to take a look at the result, the commander said, he would do that the following morning on Tuesday 10th September.
Recruits undergo training in Depot Nigeria Army Zaria (Credit: Vanguard)
The dismissal
On Wednesday 11th, after Maryam closed from class, and was about entering the hostel, she was called, “before I dropped my bag, they called our names, we left our bags with colleagues and turned back. As we turned back, they called fire alarm, and said they want to depose some female recruits.
“They did not allow the two of us to talk, but the remaining 5 female recruits were given the time to talk, to say whether they were guilty or not.
“I raised my hand, the man said I cannot talk. That when a senior officer is talking, recruit cannot talk. But because I have a little experience about that, I said, sir, I want to explain myself because I know I’m not guilty, I did not do anything wrong.
The man told them that the pregnancy was since they were in Yobe, before they arrived Zaria. Maryam couldn’t believe it. “If I have pregnancy, I would not have passed the test. They conducted the test 3 times when we reported to the Army Depot, this is the 4th time.
“Why is that they did not say I’m pregnant for the 3 months I stayed inside the Depot till now? I know myself, I’m not pregnant, if I’m pregnant all the training activities we’ve been doing, I wouldn’t have been able to do it.
“We did our 5 kilo; I’m their Buffalo there. I’m the one that win cup for them for our company. We did our combination; I was among their quarter guard. I did all the activities among them. if I’m pregnant I wouldn’t have done them.
“I’m the one leading them, they gave me room leader and squad leader. If I was going somewhere my room mates will testify. Even my room mates said 247 I was together with them. Even one day they did not see me go out. Unless I’m going to MRIS, I’ll come and meet them inside the company.
“I was not going anywhere. Even my leaders know. I don’t know how they manipulated the result; I don’t know. They did not give us any pregnancy test result, report sheet. They hide it, I don’t know”, she lamented.
When Maryam was leaving the Depot on 11th September, a Lt. Colonel came and ask the five other recruits to wait, and not go yet.
“He promised to come and pick them. I left there. Since 2 pm, they kept us until 9 pm in the night,” that was when they asked them to leave the barrack.
To prove the army wrong, the following day after being sent out from the Army Depot Zaria, Maryam went to a government health facility (Name withheld), and carried out a pregnancy test, the result came out and showed negative – she was not pregnant.
Maryam claims she had spent over N700,000.00 in the whole process, starting from the recruitment in Yobe till the three months and two weeks she spent in the Army Depot Zaria.
“Starting from the state you will be the one to feed yourself for 2 weeks and buy some material for the screening, and if you are going to Depot, you will buy foodstuffs that u will be using, and there are some materials that they said we should go with.
“And each week my father use to send feeding money for me, because, the Depot doesn’t give us allowance to buy soap or anything. The depot commander said till we pass out before he will pay us the allowance,” she narrated.
Nigerian Military and Gender
When contacted for a response, the Army Public Relations Officer, Zaria Depot, Captain Everest Ochienta, neither picked his calls, nor replied SMS sent to him until press time.
Maryam’s story is certainly contrary to the efforts made by former Chief of Defence Staff, General Lucky Irabor, who in April 2021 unveiled the Armed Forces of Nigeria (AFN) Gender Policy meant to promote gender mainstreaming in the armed forces to ensure career paths of female personnel were unhindered.
The gender policy seeks to among others guarantee 35 percent affirmative action of women and achieve increased women involvements in recruitment and enlistment, among others, as well as the institution of maternity and paternity leave for both men and women of Nigerian Armed forces.
Financial underhand allegations
An activist, Director General of Centre for Justice on Religious and Ethnicity in Nigeria, Rev. Kallamu Musa Ali Dikwa who initially raised the alarm, alleged the replacement of the victim recruits with children of the rich.
He stated in a protest statement that “One of the senior military officers that discussed with us said, all the pregnancy test were negatives. Maryam and Hannatu only have infections, and the military rules and regulation is to treat the infections, not to send them out of the training camp.
“In the year 2016, I came across same case of this nature, which happened to one Idoma boy, and I met him bitterly crying at Television Garage in Kaduna, but then I called one of the senior Air force officers on phone and told him that I’m going to invite media men to interview the young man, he quickly asked the recruitment officer to return the young man before this issue will become another thing – for him not to lose his own job.
Rev. Dikwa alleges that all the other security agencies do the same, narrating the story of a 2-star police officer who wanted his son to join the police force but was asked to pay N400,000.00 by someone in the police service commission. The man lost the opportunity because he doesn’t have the money.
Maryam, a secondary school leaver is currently stranded and not too sure of what to do, going forward.
Nigeria’s Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mohammed Idris, Wednesday announced a new partnership with the United States to enhance press freedom and tackle the growing threat of misinformation and fake news in the country.
This collaboration was disclosed following a meeting between Minister Idris and the U.S. Ambassador to Nigeria, Richard Mills, in Abuja on Wednesday, September 18, 2024.
Briefing journalists in Abuja, Idris said the partnership seeks to ensure that Nigeria’s press remains one of the freest in the world while addressing ongoing challenges.
“The ambassador talked about some issues that he thinks we need to address, to improve in the area of press freedom, and we have also given him assurance on what we are doing,” Idris said.
“He recognises the fact that we are doing a great job in ensuring that Nigerian press is not just free but also one of the freest around the world.”
Idris emphasized that the Tinubu administration places a high priority on press freedom and that the government remains committed to further improving the environment for media practitioners.
The minister noted that they also discussed misinformation and disinformation and how to jointly address the impact of fake news on society.
“There’s no way you can build a virile society when you promote fake news and don’t take the issue of misinformation and disinformation seriously,” Idris added.
Ambassador Mills praised Nigeria’s efforts in supporting press freedom and reiterated the U.S. government’s commitment to collaborating on this issue.
He acknowledged the shared global challenge of disinformation, particularly its impact on democratic systems, and discussed strategies with the minister to combat these issues effectively.
The meeting focused on enhancing the longstanding relationship between the U.S. and Nigeria, particularly regarding the rights of journalists and maintaining an open and transparent media landscape.
Accompanying Ambassador Mills were U.S. Embassy Public Diplomacy Counselor Lee McManis and U.S. Embassy spokesperson Gilbert Morton.
Nigerian officials present included Voice of Nigeria Director General Mallam Jibrin Baba-Ndace and National Orientation Agency Director General Lanre Issa-Onilu.
The partnership between the two nations is expected to provide additional resources and strategies to strengthen media freedom and ensure accurate information dissemination, an essential pillar of Nigeria’s democracy.
Nigeria’s annual inflation rate fell to a six-month low in August, offering the Central Bank of Nigeria a window to halt an unprecedented tightening cycle when they meet next week, according to Bloomberg.
Consumer prices rose 32.2 per cent from 33.4 per cent in July, the National Bureau of Statistics said in a statement published on its website on Monday. That matched the median estimate of nine economists in a Bloomberg survey.
The receding impact on prices of currency devaluation and the temporary removal of fuel subsidies instituted a year ago contributed to the slowdown. The measures formed part of reforms introduced by President Bola Tinubu after he entered office in May 2023 to attract investors, float the currency, and ease budget pressures.
Higher corn yields and a six-month window to import the crop and wheat duty-free also contributed to the softening in price increases.
Data collection was concluded before mid-August, so the effect of a 45 per cent increase in gasoline prices in early September, which saw a bump in transport costs, was not captured.
The slowdown raises the prospect that policymakers will pause a tightening cycle that’s lifted the benchmark rate to 26.75 per cent from 11.5 per cent in just over two years. It will also give the monetary policy committee, which will announce its decision on Sept. 24, time to assess the impact of recent currency volatility, devastating floods in northeastern Nigeria and the increase in gasoline prices on inflation.
Food inflation slowed to 37.5 per cent in August from 39.5 per cent a month earlier. Core price growth, which excludes agricultural produce and energy, quickened to 27.6 per cent from 27.5 per cent.
About 65 million phone lines are at risk of disconnection after telecom operators refused to grant subscribers an extension to the National Identification Number -Subscriber Identity Module linkage deadline.
The final deadline expired on September 14, 2024, and the Nigeria Communications Commission, the telecom regulator, expected that no SIM card would remain active without a verified NIN from September 15.
Analysis by The PUNCH suggests that approximately 65 million lines remain at risk, as an estimated one million lines could not have been linked between the NCC’s deadline announcement and the actual cut-off date.
The telecom regulator’s data from March 2024 shows there were 219 million active lines across major networks such as MTN, Glo, Airtel, and 9mobile, with 153 million linked to NINs.
This means that about 66 million lines were unlinked to NIN after the NCC’s deadline announcement.
Meanwhile, the Chairman of the Association of Licensed Telecom Operators of Nigeria, Gbenga Adebayo, discarded the idea of a deadline extension and confirmed to The PUNCH on Monday that the disconnection process is already ongoing.
“It’s difficult to provide exact numbers for the lines disconnected so far, but it’s certainly less than 66 million because, even on the day of the deadline, people were still linking their SIMs,” Adebayo said.
He affirmed that mobile operators were adhering to the NCC’s directives, describing the deadline as “acceptable and reasonable.”
Adebayo urged subscribers to comply, stating, “We can’t keep extending deadlines and going back and forth on this issue. This is a national concern, and these data are critical for national development.”
However, the National Association of Telecoms Subscribers urged the NCC to extend the deadline.
Speaking with The PUNCH, the President of the association appealed to the NCC to push the deadline to September 22, allowing customer experience centres to operate over the weekend.
He said this would enable subscribers to resolve any registration issues on the NIN portal and avoid potential disruptions to telecom services.
“Given the NIN portal’s technical glitches that persisted for almost a week earlier, and the improvements made last week, it’s only fair that the NCC allows subscribers to make up for the lost time. This extension will provide a much-needed buffer for subscribers to resolve any registration issues,” he said.
Barely two weeks ago, the President of the National Association of Telecommunications Subscribers, Adeolu Ogungbanjo, expressed worry that there were challenges in linking NIN to SIM cards, with many subscribers expressing frustration over slow speeds and congestion on the NIMC portal.
Ogunbanjo emphasised that the current portal issues hinder the successful completion of the NIN-SIM linkage before the deadline, stating, “The current situation will not meet the deadline if not addressed urgently.”
Between July 28 and 29, millions of lines were temporarily barred due to unverified NINs, causing widespread disruptions in the country. The NCC had reversed its decision, giving subscribers more time to comply. However, with the deadline now expired, disconnections will commence.
Before the deadline elapsed, an NCC official, who requested anonymity as he was not authorised to comment on the matter, dismissed any possibility of an extension.
“We will disconnect anyone who refuses to comply; the grace period is over. The reason why we extended the last time was the misconception of Nigerians who claimed that the NCC wanted to frustrate the August 1 protest.”
In March, the NIMC and the NCC formed a strategic collaboration in a move at enhancing processes related to the NIN-SIM linkage.
According to their first-half 2024 financial results, MTN Nigeria and Airtel Africa collectively barred 13.5 million lines due to non-compliance with the NIN-SIM linkage directive.
MTN Nigeria reported blocking 8.6 million lines, while Airtel Africa stated that 4.8 million lines remained unverified, contrary to earlier reports of 8.7 million completed verifications.
The compulsory NIN-SIM linkage, initiated in December 2020, aimed to curb unregistered SIMs and those without NIN links. Following multiple deadline extensions by the NCC since December 2023, April 15, 2024, was set as the final deadline for fully barring subscribers with four or fewer SIMs having unverified NIN details.
