By Kelechi Esogwa-Amadi
Despite the federal government’s directive that the National Identity Card Number registration should be free, officers in charge of the registration exercise at St Andrew’s Anglican Church, Mile 1, Diobu, Port Harcourt, are extorting the applicants.
They are forcing them to pay N500 for each registration form, in total disregard of the federal government’s directive.
A woman who was at the registration center there revealed this to TPCN.
Narrating her ordeal, the woman said she got there around 10 a.m. and was asked to wait. She said when she saw people giving the officials money, she thought it was freewill dash. But when it got to her turn, they told her to pay N500.
According to her, when she asked what the N500 was for, they told her it was the cost of the NIN registration form. She said when she replied them that she heard it was free, one of them got angry and said it was like she wanted to teach them their job.
The woman said at that stage, she left the place and vowed not to return there. She said she had lost interest in the entire exercise.
When TPCN visited St Andrew’s Anglican Church, Mile 1, Diobu, Port Harcourt, to confirm the woman’s claim, the front of the church was filled with NIN applicants most of who were standing.
Some of them who were asked, confirmed that they were being charged N500 for the form. The NIN officials, when approached, refused to open up. Thinking he was an applicant, they told the TPCN reporter to confirm from others and wait for his turn.
