NIMC DG Explains Why NIN Cannot Always Help Track Kidnappers

The Director-General of the National Identity Management Commission (NIMC), Abisoye Coker-Odusote, has explained why Nigeria's National Identification Number (NIN) system cannot always be used to trace kidnappers and other criminals.

Speaking during an interview on Channels Television, Coker-Odusote said many kidnappers avoid detection by using the mobile phones of their victims instead of their own, making it difficult for security agencies to identify them through the NIN-SIM linkage system.

She also suggested that some kidnappers may not be registered in Nigeria's identity database. According to her, there is a theory that certain criminal groups may bring foreign nationals into the country shortly before carrying out kidnappings, meaning they would not have NIN records. However, she stressed that this remains a theory and not confirmed intelligence.

The NIMC boss reiterated that the NIN is designed primarily as an identity management system, not a surveillance or crime-tracking tool. She noted that effective tracking of criminals requires close collaboration among security agencies, telecommunications companies, and other relevant institutions.

The Federal Government made NIN registration mandatory for Nigerians and legal residents, linking it to SIM card registration, banking services, passport applications, and access to several government programmes. The policy was also expected to strengthen national security by making it more difficult for criminals to operate anonymously.

Despite these efforts, Coker-Odusote said determined criminals have found ways to evade detection, underscoring the need for stronger inter-agency cooperation to improve security operations across the country.

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