A Federal High Court in Lagos on Monday, adjourned until February 22, a suit challenging the linkage of the National Identification Number (NIN) with mobile lines amid the COVID- 19 pandemic.

The suit, earlier fixed for hearing on Monday, could not proceed as the court did not sit.

A rights activist, Malcolm Omirhobo, had sued the National Identity Management Commission (NIMC) alongside others ordering citizens to link their NIN within a stipulated time.

Joined as defendants in the suit are the Attorney General of the Federation, Minister of Communications and Digital Economy, Nigeria Communications Commission; the NIMC boss, and the National Information Technology Development Agency.

Other defendants are MTN Nigeria Communications Plc; GLOBACOM Ltd; Airtel Networks Ltd (Airtel Nigeria); and the Emerging Markets Telecommunication Services Ltd, 9 Mobile.

The applicant, suing for himself and on behalf of the Nigerian public, had brought his suit under the provisions of the fundamental rights enforcement rules enshrined in the 1999 constitution.

At the last adjourned date on February 1, the plaintiff had told the court that it was too risky amid the COVID-19 pandemic to proceed with the process, adding that further steps should be stopped, pending a determination of the suit.

Justice Mohammed Liman had consequently, ordered that all parties to the suit be served with the court processes while he fixed February 15, to hear the motion for an interlocutory injunction and the substantive case.

The plaintiff wants the court to declare that Nigerians are entitled to the fundamental rights to life, the dignity of the human person, private and family life, freedom of expression, freedom of peaceful assembly and association, and the right to moveable property.

The lawyer is asking the court to declare that the respondents’ coercion of the applicant and Nigerians without themselves first complying with the COVID-19 guidelines is a violation of Nigerians’ fundamental right to life.

According to him, the respondents’ threat to disconnect the telephone lines of Nigerians, who fail to link their NIN to their SIM cards within a timeline, is a violation of the fundamental right to life of the applicant Nigerians.

He argued that the directive led millions of Nigerians besieging the various NIMC offices nationwide in breach of COVID-19 protocols, while trying to comply with the said directives and exposed themselves to the likelihood of contracting the virus.

Mr. Omirhobo, therefore, prayed the court to declare such decisions illegal, unlawful, and unconstitutional.

(NAN)