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New multipurpose national ID card wont be free – NIMC
New multipurpose national ID card wont be free – NIMC
The National Identity Management Commission (NIMC) has explained that Nigerians will have to pay for the new multipurpose national Identity card to ensure that it is produced for only those who need it.
The Head of Card Management Services at NIMC, Dr. Peter Iwegbu, stated this on Thursday during a media workshop organized by the Commission in Lagos.
Iwegbu said the decision was made by the Engr. Bisoye Coker-Odusote-led NIMC to avoid repeating the mistake of the past efforts to issue physical cards to Nigerians for free, which many Nigerians did not collect.
According to him, over two million cards were produced in the previous attempt to issue free National ID cards by the NIMC, but many of them were uncollected to date.
“Before we stopped due to funding, we produced more than two million cards but a lot of them are still in our office, people were not able to pick them up because they didn’t need it,” he said.
Limited government revenue
Aside from the issue of collection, Iwegbu explained that the government could also not fund production of ID cards this time because of its limited revenue.
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“We tried to review the entire project to find out what the problem was. First is that the government has no money to be able to produce this card and give it out for free.
“Second is that people must have a need for the card so that when we produce it, they will pick it up,” he explained.
Corroborating Iwegbu, the Director of IT at NIMC, Engr. Lanre Yusuf said while the idea of a free national ID card as conceived back then by the National Assembly was good, it did not turn out well as many people abandoned the cards.
“What we are working on now is a post-paid identity card; you just need the card before you initiate the request for the card.
“You make a payment, choose where you want to collect the card and you go and pick it up.
“You cannot go through all these and pay for it and ignore your card,” Yusuf said.
Provisions for less privileged Nigerians
Iwegbu, however, noted that the government has different programs to make the card available to less-privileged Nigerians who may not be able to pay for the card but need it to access government support.
While noting that the multipurpose cards would launched in a matter of weeks as the sample test cards had been received this week, Iwegbu, said NIMC has also decentralised requesting and collecting the banks to make it easy for Nigerians.
He noted that NIMC is working with banks across the country, which will make it possible for people to walk into any bank closest to them and request the card.
New multipurpose national ID card wont be free – NIMC
metro
Lagos govt insists nightclubs, worship centres must obtain permit for amplified sound
Lagos govt insists nightclubs, worship centres must obtain permit for amplified sound
The Lagos State Government has rolled out stricter measures to combat noise pollution, requiring nightclubs, lounges, bars, and worship centres to obtain permits for events involving amplified sound.
The measure, it said, aimed to safeguard the health and well-being of Lagosians during the festive season and beyond.
Lagos State Commissioner for Environment and Water Resources, Tokunbo Wahab, announced this via his official X (formerly Twitter) account on Saturday, emphasizing the government’s zero-tolerance stance on noise pollution.
Wahab highlighted that events with amplified sound must be conducted in soundproofed, enclosed spaces to protect residents from the harmful effects of excessive noise.
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“Establishments such as worship centers, nightclubs, lounges, and bars must now obtain permits for events involving amplified sound and ensure these activities take place in soundproofed, enclosed spaces to protect neighboring residents,” the statement read in part.
To enforce these directives, the government said it had established a Special Task Force on Noise Pollution under the Lagos State Environmental Protection Agency (LASEPA).
This task force, in collaboration with the Lagos State Neighborhood Safety Corps (LSNSC) and the Lagos State Environmental Sanitation Corps (LAGESC), would oversee compliance, arrest offenders, and prosecute violators of noise regulations, it stated.
The statement further noted that starting January 2025, the government would roll out a public awareness campaign to educate Lagosians on acceptable noise levels and the benefits of a quieter environment.
Lagos govt insists nightclubs, worship centres must obtain permit for amplified sound
metro
Alleged missing N180m: It’s a prank, Singer Dammy Krane says
Alleged missing N180m: It’s a prank, Singer Dammy Krane says
Singer, Dammy Krane has stated that social critic, Very Dark Man, is joking with claims that N180 million was diverted from the NGO account he created in October this year.
VDM shocked Nigerians on Friday, December 27 when he released a video claiming hackers had breached his NGO website and moved N180m leaving only N20 million.
The news shocked many Nigerians who took to social media to slam him.
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However, in a post shared on his Instagram page this evening, Dammy Krane claimed that VDM is renovating a school in Jos, and was only joking with the story of stolen funds.
Also, a Human Rights activist, Omotayo Williams, claimed the man VDM showed in his video as an officer accompanying him to Jos is a well-known member of the Kogi State Taxi Taskforce.
Alleged missing N180m: It’s a prank, Singer Dammy Krane says
metro
Oluwo backs push for Sharia law in South-West
Oluwo backs push for Sharia law in South-West
The Oluwo of Iwo, Oba Abdulrasheed Akanbi, has expressed support for the proposed implementation of Sharia law in the South-West, emphasizing its historical presence in Yoruba culture.
Oba Akanbi noted that Sharia principles have long been part of Yoruba land, citing examples such as Sharia banking and the existence of a Sharia college in Iwo, Osun State.
He stated, “Sharia law has been in Iwo for over 100 years… It’s the right of Muslims to choose customary law or the high court.”
Recall that the discussion around Sharia law gained traction after plans were announced for the inauguration of a Sharia council on January 11, 2025, at the Muslim Community Islamic Centre in Oyo. However, the event has been postponed indefinitely following widespread public criticism.
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Critics have argued that the Yoruba-dominated South-West, where Muslims and Christians coexist, is distinct from the predominantly Muslim northern region where Sharia is more widely practiced.
Addressing concerns, Oba Akanbi explained that Sharia law is already embedded in Nigeria’s constitution and should not cause alarm for non-Muslims.
“Sharia law is only for Muslims and does not concern others. If any other person likes it, they can convert to Islam, and Muslims can also convert to Christianity. Everyone is free,” he said.
The monarch also drew attention to the challenges faced by Muslims under existing laws, particularly in matters such as inheritance and divorce, where Western legal frameworks may not align with Islamic traditions. “Many Muslims feel disenfranchised… Western education doesn’t understand the ways of Muslim divorce, marriage, and inheritance,” he added.
Oba Akanbi emphasized that Sharia law represents the inalienable rights of Muslims and should not be viewed as a threat to other religions. “No government can deny Muslims their inalienable rights,” he concluded.
Oluwo backs push for Sharia law in South-West
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