The National Identity Management Commission and the Nigerian Data Protection Commission have been urged to address the bad violation of citizens’ privacy rights.
This call was made by the Paradigm Initiatives, a civil society organization, urging NIMC to take necessary action in responding to a severe privacy breach involving unauthorized access to citizens’ data by XpressVerify.com.
XpressVerify.com, a private website, which has unrestricted access to the National Identification Numbers (NINs) and personal details of every registered Nigerian, has monetized the recovery of NINs and personal information on the Nigerian identification database.
According to the CSO, the breach is a violation of both the National Data Protection Act and citizens’ constitutional right to privacy, which has caused betrayal of public trust.
“NDPC must swiftly investigate the matter, holding accountable all parties involved in compromising the security of the National Identity Database “ Paradigm Initiatives said.
It further said “Every Nigerian has the right to trust that their personal information is secure and protected. We further demand NIMC outlines steps to rectify this breach and prevent future occurrences”.
Paradigm Initiatives also asked NDPC to act on upholding the principles of data protection and safeguarding citizens’ privacy rights as enshrined in the NDPA and the constitution.
NIMC, in a statement on Sunday, disclaimed any affiliation with XpressVerify.
The Director-General and the CEO of NIMC, Abisoye Coker Odusote, clarified that the commission solely provides NIN verification and other services through licensed partners.
Part of the statement read “The commission wishes to state that it offers NIN Verification and other services through licensed partners. However, XpressVerify is not one of the commission’s licensed partners “
“NIMC reaffirms its unwavering dedication to safeguarding, securing and responsibly managing the data entrusted to us” it said
The statement further stated that the Commission understands the critical importance of maintaining public trust and confidence in their operation and will continue to uphold the highest standards of integrity and accountability.
