The National Identity Management Commission (NIMC) has
debunked alleged exposure of sensitive data of Nigerian citizens.
A statement issued on Saturday by Kayode Adegoke,
Head, Corporate Communications assured the public that the data of Nigerians has not
been compromised, adding that “the Commission have not authorised any website or entity to sell
or misuse the National Identification Number (NIN) amongst all the identities stated in the
report”.
The Commission described some websites as “data harvesters not authorised by NIMC to access
or manage sensitive data”.
Explaining further, the statement urged the public to disregard “any claims or services these
websites offer and should not give their data as they are potentially fraudulent and data
provided by the public on such websites are gathered and stored to build the data
services they illegally provide.
“Consequently, the public should know that the Commission has taken robust measures to
safeguard the nation’s database from cyber threats- a secure, world-class, full-proof
database is in place.
“The commission’s infrastructure meets the stringent ISO 27001:2013
Information Security Management System Standard, with annual recertification and strict
compliance with the Nigerian Data Protection Law.
“Furthermore, NIMC advises Nigerians to avoid giving their data to unauthorised and
phishing sites.
“This poses the danger of data harvesting and compromises individual data.
The Commission reaffirmed its commitment to upholding ethical standards in data
protection in line with federal government directives and data privacy regulations.
According to the Commission, licensed partners or vendors are not authorised to scan or store NIN slips but to
verify NINs through approved channels.
NIMC explained that the Commission is currently working closely with security operatives to apprehend these
elements masquerading as online vendors, adding that “they will be made to face the full wrath of
the law.”
NIMC advised the public to remain vigilant against false information and rely on verified
sources for accurate updates.
It explained that the Commission remains committed to providing secure
and reliable identity management and upholding the highest level of security for systems
and databases, “which are critical national assets”.
