Former Minister of Communications and Digital Economy, Prof. Isa Pantami, has shed light on the persistent issue of kidnapping in Nigeria, attributing it to the compromise of the National Identity Number (NIN) database after his departure from office.
He made this statement during a recent session at the Young Professionals Colloquium held in Katsina State, where he addressed questions regarding the NIN-SIM linkage and the contributing factors to the country’s insecurity.
According to Pantami, while the National Identity Management Commission (NIMC) Act, Section 26, mandates that citizens acquire a national identity for various reasons beyond security—such as education and healthcare—his primary focus during his tenure was to ensure the database effectively supported security agencies.
“I personally pushed for the development of the NIN and SIM National Policy, which mandated the linking of SIM cards to the national identity database. This initiative was introduced specifically to combat criminal activities, particularly kidnapping,” he explained.
However, Pantami expressed serious concerns about the integrity of the database following the recent changes in government. He noted that millions of SIM cards were successfully linked to the national identity database during his administration, but the system’s reliability was compromised once he stepped down.
He stated, “We achieved over 100 million citizens in our National Database through national identity, which is a significant accomplishment. The NIMC Act clearly states that obtaining a national identity is mandatory for every citizen. Its significance extends beyond security to education, health, and other critical aspects of our nation.”
He emphasized that his priority was to support security institutions, aligning with the constitutional mandate for government to ensure the security and welfare of its citizens. “As noted in the 1999 Constitution of Nigeria (as amended), Section 14, Subsection 2(b), the security and welfare of the citizens are the primary purposes of government,” he added.
Pantami further remarked, “We sanitized the database, and up until we left office, there were no records of SIM cards unlinked to the national identity database. However, changes in government often create opportunities for compromise.”
He elaborated, “By linking NIN to SIM cards, we could ascertain individual identities. In cases of kidnapping, criminals typically use phone numbers to negotiate ransoms, rendering the victim’s identity irrelevant since it appears in the database. Yet, with the advanced technologies we deployed in 2022 and early 2023, every call made through Nigeria’s telecommunications network can be traced back to the caller’s location, even if the caller’s identity is unknown.”
