JUSTICE M.A. Onyetenu orders the attorney general of the Federation, Nigerian Communications Commission and the minister of communications and digital economy to extend the deadline for the National Identity Numbers, NIN, registration by two months.
By Anthony Isibor
MONDAY Onyekachi Ubani, former vice president of the Nigerian Bar Association, has notified the federal government of Nigeria, Abubakar Malami, attorney general of the federation, the Nigeria Communications Commission, NCC, and Isa Ali Ibrahim Pantami, minister of communications and digital economy, about a court ruling compelling them to shift the deadline for National Identity Numbers, NIN, registration.
Ubani, in a letter written on March 30, 2021, drew their attention to the court order which stated that the deadline of April 9 for the NIN registration should be extended for another 2 months.
Realnews reports that the order was given after Ubani dragged the federal government to court in a lawsuit registered as FHC/L/CS/1834/2020. Apart from the federal government, the attorney general of the federation, NCC and minister of communications and digital economy were listed as defendants.
Ubani had sued the federal government and others for infringing on his rights and that of over 200 million Nigerians when it gave the telecommunication operators till April 9, as an ultimatum to disconnect the mobile numbers of any Nigerian who had not gotten a NIN.
Justice M.A. Onyetenu, who sat on the case at the Federal High Court sitting in Ikoyi, Lagos, on Tuesday, March 23, 2021, ruled in favour of Ubani, ordering the federal government, NCC and minister of communications and digital economy to extend the deadline for the registration of SIM Cards with NIN for at least another two months from Tuesday, March 23, 2021.
The letter stated: “The judgement is to the effect that the ultimatum of 9th April 2021, given to telecommunication operators by the Federal Government to block all SIM Cards that are not yet registered with the National Identity Numbers (NIN) be halted as the timeline is grossly inadequate and will not only cause severe hardship but will likely infringe on my fundamental rights (and millions of other Nigerians) to freedom of expression as guaranteed by section 39(1)(2) of the 1999 Constitution of The Federal Republic of Nigeria as well as section 44(1) of the 1999 Constitution of The Federal Republic of Nigeria (as amended) which prohibits the compulsory acquisition of right or interest over movable property.
“The Court further declared that in view of the Covid-19 pandemic and the rising cases in Nigeria presently, the deadline given to myself and over 200 million Nigerians to register their sim cards with NIN, will lead to a rush, thereby resulting in clustering of I and other Nigerian citizens in a NIN registration centre, subjecting us to the possibility of easily contracting the deadly and dreaded Covid-19 Virus, and such will amount to a violation of our fundamental right to life as protected by section 33(1) of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (as amended).
“Government of Nigeria, Nigerian Communications Commission and Minister of Communications and Digital Economy to extend the deadline for the registration of SIM Cards with NIN for at least another 2 months from Tuesday, March 23rd, 2021.”
Ubani advised the minister of communication and digital economy to use his good office to ensure that the decision of the court is respected and comply with.
He also appealed to the minister to review his stand on the ultimatum for the registration of SIM Cards with NIN beyond the duration declared by the court to at least a year.
This, he said “will give a soft landing to the greater majority of Nigerians who are yet to be captured by the National Identity Management Commission and ensure that a good number of Nigerians are accommodated within the timeline of one year”.
