A State Coordinator of the National Identity Management Commission, Mohammed Auwalu, has stated that the commission require the sum of N150bn before it can be able to capture all Nigerians on its database.

The Kano State Coordinator, National Identity Management Commission, Muhammad Auwalu, on Sunday said the NIMC required N150bn to capture all Nigerians in its database.

Speaking to reporters at the Sa’adatu Rimi College of Education in Kano, Mr. Auwalu, the Kano State Coordinator of the commission , revealed that so far the Nigerian government has only budgeted N7bn for the commission to carry out the assignment. He also lamented only 40,000 out of 200 million Nigerians have so far been captured in the commision’s database.

While emphasizing on the importance of the temporary National Identity Card which he said carries the card number, Mr. Auwalu explained further that if the Federal Government releases more money to the commission, it will capture all Nigerians within three years.

He warned those who have deliberately refused to register for the National Identity saying, they risk a three-month jail term or N100,000 fine, even as he revealed the commission’s plans to commence the prosecution of defaulters soon.

In the words of the coordinator, “The agency will impose three months’ imprisonment or N100,000 fine on any Nigerian arrested without being registered.”

Reiterating the commission’s focus right from when they began the exercise, he explained that the commission has has always been that every Nigerian is registered.

According to him, “In accordance with the provisions of Section 27(1)(1) of the Commission Act, the use of the National Identity Number should be mandatory.

“In exercising its power of enforcement and compliance, the commission is empowered by law to demand evidence of compliance, so as to caution a non-compliant person.

“It also has the power to institute criminal proceedings against a non-compliant person through the Office of the Attorney General of the Federation.”

He said the Commission has also approached the World Bank to help assist in financing the project, since the burden in much on the federal government.