Nigerians have called on the Nigerian government to close all National Identity Management Commission centres to curtail the second wave of the dreaded COVID-19.

The calls were made on Monday when the Special Assistant to President Muhammadu Buhari on Digital and New Media, Bashir Ahmad, announced the closure of Millennium Park in Abuja. Ahmad, on his official Twitter handle, announced that the Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) had closed the Millennium Park as part of the government’s efforts to prevent the spread of coronavirus.

But the announcement faced public criticism as people also demanded the closure of NIMC offices which could easily spread COVID-19.

The government had given December 30 as the deadline for mobile phone users to synchronise their SIMs with their National Identification Numbers or have their mobile phone lines blocked.

“The Federal Government isn’t serious because they claimed to be preventing the spread of COVID by shutting down clubs, parks, etc. but made the registration of National ID mandatory. The crowd alone for those gathering can spread COVID in a blink. This makes zero sense (sic),” Daniel Rhega @DanielRhega tweeted.

Atagana Great @GreatAtagana said, “You can now clearly confirm that your boss and his directives are not only two-faced but useless and insensitive. So, this government cares about curtailing COVID, yet NIMC centres are open and crowded. What a confused government with confused politics.”

“The crowd in NIN registration is far larger than the one anticipated at the Millennium Park. Think! Think!” Aldavisons @alexisobi4 commented on Twitter.

Zubaida Abdullahi @Xubaida asked on Twitter, “The same government that is making hundreds of people queue in front of NIMC?”

“Shutdown NIN centres nationwide! Clueless government!” Daniel @danbosket26 said.

“But you want Nigerians to queue for one rubbish NIN registration?” Chukwu Ka @ Chukwu_ka queried. “How does this government think?”