Federal High Court sitting in Lagos has given additional two months extension for linking of the National Identity Number to telephone lines.
This was coming as Justice Maureen Onyetenu delivered the ruling in the fundamental rights suit filed by a lawyer, Monday Ubani, against the Federal Government.
Other parties joined in the matter were the Attorney General of the Federation, the Nigerian Communications Commission, and the Minister of Communication and Digital Economy, Isa Pantami.
Ubani had contested that the timeframe given to service providers to block people’s SIM cards yet to link their lines with the NIN violated the constitutionally protected rights to freedom of expression, right to own moveable property and right to life.
He prayed the court to halt the ultimatum and extend the deadline.
In his argument, Ubani posited that the rush to register lines increased his chances and that of millions of Nigerians in contracting COVID-19, saying as such, it was a violation of his right to life.
This is the fifth extension of the NIN-SIM integration deadline.