Gbenga Sesan, Executive Director of Paradigm Initiative, has raised alarming concerns over the vulnerability of Nigeria’s identification database, revealing that his organization purchased the National Identification Number (NIN) slip of Minister Bosun Tijani for a mere N100.
This disclosure was made on Monday during an interview with News Central TV, where Sesan elaborated on the significant data breach and privacy issues facing the country.
Sesan’s statement followed a publication by the National Identity Management Commission (NIMC) on Saturday, which suggested that the onus was on Nigerians who share their data on fraudulent websites. However, Sesan refuted this, asserting that the compromised data originated from NIMC itself.
“We acquired the NIN slip of Minister Dr. Bosun Tijani and the NIN slip of Nigeria’s top data regulator, Dr. Vincent Olatunji, each for just N100,” Sesan disclosed.
“This starkly illustrates that our identities are being sold for N100. The repercussions are dire: with a NIN slip, one can easily obtain a SIM card. This raises the terrifying possibility that a terrorist could purchase a military general’s NIN slip, acquire a SIM card, and mislead troops into an ambush.”
Sesan further emphasized the severe implications of such breaches, suggesting that if a terrorist could impersonate key figures by obtaining their NIN slips and SIM cards, it could result in catastrophic security breaches. “The possibility that someone could claim your identity and manipulate critical communication systems is a grave concern,” he added.
The NIMC had previously assured Nigerians that their data remained secure, responding to Paradigm Initiative’s alerts about websites like AnyVerify and XpressVerify. Nevertheless, Paradigm Initiative announced last Thursday that it is pursuing legal action to defend Nigerians’ data privacy rights.
This development calls into question the integrity of Nigeria’s data protection mechanisms and underscores the urgent need for robust security measures to safeguard citizens’ personal information.
