Nigerians on various social media platforms on Tuesday condemned the National Identity Management Commission for announcing that citizens would be required to pay N5000 for renewal of National Identity cards.
Despite claiming that the money charged would enable it make the item available all the time, citizens didn’t buy the idea, describing it as a fraudulent means to extort the populace.
One Twitter user, Olajide Obe, said, “Wait, so National ID card will be expiring too? But will we ever collect these cards?
“I’ve enrolled since 2014, five years ago! Does it take a decade to produce a National ID card?”
Another Twitter user, Chris Olu-Crown, said he registered since 2013 and had yet to receive his as well.
Another user named Samuel Mbagwe, said, “November would make it four years since I went through hell to register for this ‘ticket to heaven’ at Alausa NIMC office.
“It’s taking eternity to produce because bribery isn’t involved. Allow bribes and you will have it in less than 48 hours.”
Commenting on the situation, another Twitter user, Wale Adetona, said the idea of paying for National ID card was not good.
He said, “Whoever brought up this idea of renewing National ID didn’t think it through. Do US citizens renew their Social Security Number?”