Nigeria news : NIN Registration: Sanwo-Olu told to close NIMC office as Nigerians storm Alausa [Photos]

Governor of Lagos State, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, has been asked to shut down the NIMC office at Alausa Ikeja over the second wave of coronavirus in Lagos.

Recall that the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) had directed telecommunications companies to block all unregistered SIM cards in the country in two weeks.

Customers of all networks were told to register with their National Identity Numbers (NIN) or risk losing their numbers.

Following the short period allocated for the registration, Nigerians in Lagos stormed the NIMC Alausa center on Monday morning despite the warnings of a surge in COVID-19 infections.

Recall that Sanwo-Olu days ago ordered the closure of clubs, carnivals, public gatherings as the second wave of Coronavirus hit the state.

However, the huge crowd at the NIMC office seemed to have defeated the purpose of the closures, generating criticisms from Nigerians who took to their Twitter page to attack the government,

They urged Governor Sanwo-Olu to shut down NIMC offices.

Here are some comments gathered by Twitter;

@Islimfit “ Dear @jidesanwoolu, when are you going to order the closure of the NIMC office at Alausa for flouting the recent Covid-19 guidelines? Seal up a club but allow thousands of people to gather at the NIMC office just cos they want to collect NIN. We no dey ever think straight for this country.

@Daddy_Nomso “ Lagos Govt arrested people at Cubana on Sat because of Covid 19 but are okay with Thousands queueing at NIMC office to get NIN as they have bribed Covid to go on Xmas holiday. This could have been done Digitally, but God Forbid NG does something Healthy even in a Pandemic.”

@DaSuspekt “ Dear Governor @jidesanwoolu, please shut down NIMC Alausa. The people for CUBANA NIGHT CLUB nor do reach dis wan o.”

@Ebukarr “ This government is so delusional,

I thought they were crying about Covid cases. @jidesanwoolu, can you see this.”

@TopeAkinyode “ Right now, there’s a mammoth crowd at the NIMC office at Alausa because of the NIN registration policy of the Federal Government. Meanwhile, the government has already budgeted over N540bn for COVID-19 vaccines. I think the government knows what it’s doing.”

@Femiskill “ The lives of people are at risk with this kind of policies and the current situation of the pandemic in the world. Even at all, this is necessary timing is important or other forms of getting this done electronically. Why are you people so heartless. NIMC over LIFE?

@Oyindamola “ Is it that our government is senseless or what? You arrested people at Cubana cos they went against the covid rules, but allowed this cos corona is allergic to NIN office, yeah?

@Hexdee “ If people contract COVID-19 from there and die, then what’s the usefulness of the NIN number?

@DelightAnicho, “ the midst of 2nd phase COVID-19 pandemic, See crowd at NIMC office Alausa! Bad policy timing! This linking of NIN to sim should stop now!!!

@Alameen “ They close schools, but this is NIMC Office at Alausa, no social distance, no nothing. It is sad how people in our government are not thinking straight, sometimes u have to be thinking if they don’t want the children of the masses to go to school.”

@KunleJimber “ See NIMC office at Alausa today! Can you see how reckless a government can be in the midst of the COVID-19 second wave! No value for life, and it shows a leadership vacuum.”