President Muhammadu Buhari has given his consent to security agencies to access subscribers’ details through the National Identity Management Commission (NIMC) database when carrying out their lawful duty. Consequently, the Minister of Communication and Digital Economy, Dr. Isa Ali Pantami, disclosed, his office has since written to security agencies conveying Mr. President’s approval to that effect. Pantami made these remarks on a sideline during the LEAP 22, a technology event that was hosted in Saudi Arabia.
Although the Minister did not mention which of the security agency President Buhari was referring to, he affirmed the development would enhance efficiency in operations of our security agencies to go after criminals like kidnappers and armed robbers.
The Minister was quoted saying, “Some of the security institutions, based on the cybercrime law, are allowed to gain access to the database without coming to us because the database allows for lawful intercept. That lawful intercept was allowed in order to support our security agencies.
He revealed that “Mr. President has given approval for them to do it, without even our intervention. So, with that approval, the NCC has conveyed that through my office to all the relevant institutions that the President has granted approval for that.
Pantami therefore, explained that with that letter the concerned security agency can gain access to the database without needing further permission from any office.
NIMC, a government institution is currently in the custody of about a 73million Nigerians database who have linked their National Identity Number (NIN) on its server.
Though, the minister hinted that the agency is still struggling with the infrastructural deficit, staff welfare, but said they are optimistic that Federal Government is on top of the situation to cope with the situation.
The Minister applauded NIMC, saying before he came on board, NIMC over the years only captured 40million Nigerians, however, with his coming on board, he has upgraded the system to capture up to a 73million at present.
He said though the Ministry is not a security institution, but a sector of economic development but initiated the policy for the government to take charge of its security being one of the priorities of the present administration. This is captured in is in the 1999 Constitution as amended, Section 14 Subsection 2, Article B, it is our responsibility”, the Minister added.
The Minister while commenting on the successes his office recorded, he as well lamented that despite this huge success his office recorded, no security agency came to seek their help in tracking down kidnappers in the last six months.
President Buhari during the launching of the National Policy for the promotion of Indigenous Content in the Nigerian Telecom sector said, “The NIN will cover one of the weaknesses in our security structure. We will be able to easily identify and know the personality of Nigerians. We will identify people easily, including the crooks.”
The Nigerian Government had in the year 2020 mandated the NIN-SIM linkage for every telecom subscriber.
Minister Pantami explained “I was in the Federal Executive Council media team presentation last week and these same questions were also asked.
“I said to them, this is what we have been doing for security and the EVC/CEO of the NCC was next to me, just like now, and I asked him if there was any time that any security institutions contacted the NCC to provide details of any one of which he failed; he said ‘no’. He said it had never happened since I became a minister.
He, however, stressed that some security agencies recently got approvals from the President, Buhari, to bypass the NCC and the ministry, and access the database directly, saying this is “Lawful Intercept” is allowed for security agencies in the interest of the National Security.
