The National Identity Management Commission (NIMC) has threatened to sanction erring Licensed Verification Agents, Front End Partners (FEPs), and Diaspora FEPs over data breach.
To this end, it has directed all these players to undergo rigorous security vetting to ensure adherence to global best practices in identity management.
NIMC, in a statement, at the weekend, also disclosed that law enforcement authorities have been authorised to crack down on and apprehend individuals involved in online phishing schemes targeting citizens’ data from other sources.
In addition, the commission has temporarily suspended the bypass enrollment process to prevent abuse and rectify any irregularities, even as it stated that it will communicate with the public regarding the resumption of the bypass process later.
In a press statement signed by head, corporate communications, NIMC, Kayode Adegoke, the commission reaffirms its commitment to providing secure identity services and protecting the Citizens’ data per its mandate as Nigeria’s foundational identity provider.
In pursuit of this goal, the commission said, it has implemented enhanced measures to safeguard the information stored in its National Identity Database.
These actions, he said, align with the commitment outlined by the director-general/CEO, Engr Abisoye Coker-Odusote, upon assuming office in August 2023, who emphasised that, the NIMC collaborates relevant security agencies to uphold the utmost data security standards and regulatory compliance.
“As part of these new security protocols, all Licensed Verification Agents, Front End Partners (FEPs), and Diaspora FEPs will undergo rigorous security vetting to ensure adherence to global best practices in identity management. Any FEPs in violation will face sanctions by established regulations and the nation’s laws,” the commission asserted.
Furthermore, NIMC affirmed that, law enforcement authorities have been authorized to crack down on and apprehend individuals involved in online phishing schemes targeting citizens’ data from other sources.
The commission, he said, has received numerous reports regarding fraudulent online platforms compelling Nigerians to submit their personal information for National Identification Number (NIN) modification or enrollment services, noting that! perpetrators of these illegal activities will be apprehended and prosecuted to the full extent of the law.