Abia LG Chairmen Warn Residents Against Sharing PVCs, NINs, BVNs as APC Denies Alleged Data Collection

|By Chinwendu Nwani

The Chairman of Umuahia South Local Government Area of Abia State, Chinedu Enwereuzo, has warned residents to stop releasing sensitive personal information, including Permanent Voter’s Cards (PVCs), National Identification Numbers (NINs), Bank Verification Numbers (BVNs), and bank account details to unauthorised individuals or groups.

Enwereuzo stated that no government agency has approved the collection of such data from members of the public, stressing that residents who share personal details risk falling victim to fraud, identity theft, and other criminal activities.

A similar warning came from the Chairman of Isuikwuato Local Government Area, Chinedu Ekeke, who said his office had received reports of individuals allegedly demanding sensitive personal information from residents under the guise of a political party’s registration exercise.

In a statement signed by his media aide, Chimaobi Ben Okorie, Ekeke alleged that the individuals were collecting or photographing PVC details and NINs in parts of the local government area.

He explained that the alleged activities were carried out during party registration exercises, voter registration drives, town hall meetings, and community outreach programmes.

Ekeke cautioned residents to remain vigilant, insisting that no individual, group, or political organisation has the legal authority to collect such personal data from citizens in that manner.

Reacting to the allegations, the Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, Benjamin Kalu, dismissed claims that his party, the All Progressives Congress (APC), was buying NINs or other personal details in Abia State during its ongoing e-registration exercise. Speaking to journalists on Friday, Kalu said the party was not involved in any illegal data collection and urged the public to disregard what he described as false allegations.