The National Identity Management Commission (NIMC) says it has registered 1.2 million people into the National Identity Database and has issued them with the National Identification Number (NIN) in Bauchi.

Nearly 54 million people have obtained their NIN.

Malam Isa Abdulmumin, NIMC Bauchi state coordinator, made this known in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria.

He said the exercise had recorded a “great turnout.”

”We registered 1.2 million between December 2012 and May 2021.

”The number ought to be much higher than what was recorded considering the population size of the state,” he said.

He called on those who yet to register and obtain their NIN, to do so.

Mr Abdulmumin appealed for more funds and additional functional enrolment machines and relevant gadgets to enable the office to function and perform optimally.

”We have registration centres in 15 local government areas. NIMC staff members are working daily to achieve wider and effective coverage,” he said.

He commended a lawmaker, Jamilu Barade, representing Bauchi Central Constituency in the House of Assembly, for spending N800,000 to overhaul the commission’s transformer.

On May 4, the federal government approved the extension of the deadline for the NIN exercise to June 30.

The extension, the federal government said the postponement of the deadline was also based on the request by stakeholders for an extension until June 30 to make it easier for Nigerians and legal residents to register.

(NAN)