Second Wave: FG exposing Nigerians to COVID-19 with NIN registration, says Banky W

Nigerian musician, Bankole Wellington, aka Banky W, has raised an alarm that the Federal Government is exposing Nigerians to COVID-19 with the National Identification Number (NIN) registration.

Despite the second wave of the deadly virus, Banky W believes that it’s a reckless decision to keep Nigerians gathered at NIN registration centres with lack of social distancing among citizens.

Speaking on his verified Twitter handle on Friday, the Lagos Party singer questioned the government’s decision to continue with the registration while cases of COVID-19 raise daily on the country.

“In the middle of the pandemic, this is how our Nigerian Government has its citizens queuing up to get their NIN numbers. Completely reckless, inconsiderate and dangerous. Then tomorrow the NCDC will release covid infection rates and say social distancing. This country sha. Kai.

In the middle of the pandemic, this is how our Nigerian Government has its citizens queuing up to get their NIN numbers. Completely reckless, inconsiderate and dangerous. Then tomorrow the NCDC will release covid infection rates and say social distancing. This country sha. Kai. pic.twitter.com/QyeD6CCp3y

— Banky Wellington (@BankyW) January 22, 2021

“This is completely irresponsible of us as a country, to insist on this mad scramble for NIN numbers in the middle of Covid’s 2nd wave. People are dying. We should be smarter/wiser/better than this for goodness sake,” the Thief My Kele singer added.

In response to his tweet, a follower questioned the need for the queue when those who already have their NIN can complete their registrations with USSD codes.

“I did not go to any nin centre and already linked by nin to my numbers… why is it so difficult to DIAL *346# to retrieve ur nin since most people had already done BVN,” says @akhmedadekunle·

The Strong Ting singer, however, replied that the process does not work for everyone, including himself.

“It doesn’t work for everyone. It didn’t work for me. Only works for part of the population because the system is a mess. So the rest of us must go and queue… and risk catching Covid. Because of their own ineffectiveness,” he tweeted.

In a subsequent tweet to his 3.4followers, the Made For You singer urged his followers to “take more pictures & videos of NIN enrollment centres and post them to @NCDCgov @NigeriaGov @NGRPresident.

“How they can tell us to do social distancing on one hand and then use this NIN madness to expose all of us to covid? We must embarrass them into doing the right thing.”