The Chairman of Umuahia South Local Government Area of Abia State, Chinedu Enwereuzo, has cautioned residents against releasing their Permanent Voter’s Cards, National Identification Numbers, Bank Verification Numbers, and bank account details to individuals or groups.
He said no government agency has authorised the collection of such information from the public.
According to the council chairman, sharing personal data with unauthorised persons exposes individuals to fraud, identity theft, and other criminal activities.
Similarly, the Chairman of Isuikwuato Local Government Area, Chinedu Ekeke, said he received reports about individuals allegedly demanding sensitive personal information from residents in the name of a political party’s registration.
In a statement signed by his media aide, Chimaobi Ben Okorie, the Isuikwuato council chairman alleged that the individuals were collecting or photographing Permanent Voter’s Card details and National Identification Numbers in some areas of the council.
According to him, the alleged collection of sensitive personal data was carried out during party registration exercises, voter registration drives, town hall meetings, and community outreach programmes.
“No individual, group, or political organisation has the legal authority to collect such information from citizens in this manner,” Ekeke warned.
However, speaking to journalists on Friday, the Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, Benjamin Kalu, said that his party, the All Progressives Congress (APC), is not buying people’s NINs or other personal details in Abia during the ongoing e-registration, as alleged by some persons.
