The Human Rights Writers Association Nigeria, HURIWA, on Monday, urged Nigerians to massively boycott the National Identification Number, NIN, and SIM registration.
HURIWA described the timing of linking NIN to SIM cards as suicidal, hence Nigerians should boycott the exercise if they have not enrolled with the National Identity Management Commission (NIMC).
The rights group said the refusal of Nigerian government to halt the process amid the spike of COVID-19 was insensitive and irresponsible.
HURIWA made the call in a statement signed by its National Coordinator, Emmanuel Onwubiko.
According to HURIWA: “The reason for the people of Nigeria to protest against this policy of government is not that it is a bad policy; but the timing of the implementation of that policy is suicidal.
“That the Nigerian government has remained inconsiderate, irresponsible, insensitive, irresponsible and not being responsive to the agitation of millions of Nigerians that have called on the government to suspend the exercise until such a time that the second wave of COVID-19 is checkmated, is disappointing.
“Therefore, the last card the people of Nigerians have is to massively protest either symbolically through active civil disobedience methodology or boycotts of the exercise or physical demonstrations on the streets. We call on all Nigerians including policemen and women to protest.
“The protest does not mean physical protest alone unless they are pushed to their limits then they can come out wearing their face masks, observing physical distancing but anything other than this, the people can also boycott the exercise.
“Yes, the reason they should protest is because the timing of the exercise is a threat to their lives because the second wave of COVID-19 is on a global rampage and people are dying in their thousands in Nigeria and many who have attended that registration exercise have died from COVID-19. HURIWA has learnt of some fatalities related to that dastardly ill-timed exercise.”
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