The Human Rights Writers Association (HURIWA) has urged President Bola Tinubu to halt the proposed issuance of a new National Identity Card, citing concerns over its potential misuse of public funds and lack of a comprehensive national strategy.
In a statement released by HURIWA’s National Coordinator, Emmanuel Onwubiko, the organization criticized the planned exercise as detrimental to the commonwealth of Nigerians. They emphasized the need for beneficial public policies governing the issuance of such a crucial document.
The controversy surrounding the new National ID arose following an announcement by the National Identity Management Commission (NIMC) regarding its collaboration with the Central Bank of Nigeria and the Nigeria Inter-Bank Settlement System. The collaboration aimed to launch a new card with multiple functionalities, including for social and financial services.
HURIWA questioned the feasibility of expecting 133 million impoverished Nigerians to maintain working bank accounts to access the new ID. They labeled the initiative as a scheme to siphon public funds into the coffers of top leaders and their associates.
HURIWA highlighted statistics indicating that 50 percent of Nigerians were unbanked and unbankable due to extreme poverty. They criticized the NIMC’s assumption that all citizens possess functional bank accounts, noting that it could lead to widespread difficulties in obtaining the new ID.
