A Federal High Court sitting in Lagos has ordered the extension of the deadline for the integration of the National Identity Number (NIN) with telecom users’ Subscriber Identity Module (SIMs) by two months effective from Tuesday, March 23, 2021.
The order followed a fundamental rights enforcement action instituted by Barrister. Monday Onyekachi Ubani at the Federal High Court, Lagos in December 2020 against Federal Government of Nigeria, Attorney General of the Federation, Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) and Minister of Communications and Digital Economy (MoCDE).
The human rights lawyer had argued that the initial two-week — December 16 to December 30, 2020 — deadline issued by the federal government to telecommunication operators for NIN registration and integration with SIM will infringe on the fundamental human rights of Nigerians and expose them to COVID-19.
“That the two weeks (16th December to 30th December 2020) ultimatum given to telecommunications operators by the 1st, 3rd and 4th Respondents to block all Subscriber Identification Modules (SIM) cards that are not registered with National Identity Number (NIN), is grossly inadequate and will not only work severe hardship,” the suit said.
“But will likely infringe on the fundamental rights of the Applicant (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 violate 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 moveable property.”
However, the federal government had extended the deadline to January 19, 2021 for subscribers with NIN to link it with their SIM, and February 9, 2021, for those without NIN, and now April 6.
Ubani prayed the court for an order halting the said ultimatum and extending the deadline.
In a ruling delivered by Hon. Justice M.A. Onyetenu of the Federal High Court on the 23rd day of March, 2021, the Court granted all the Applicant’s reliefs, chief among which is “An order directing the 1st, 3rd and 4th Respondents to extend the deadline for the registration of SIM Cards with NIN for a further two months with effect from the 23rd day of March, 2021.”
