The Federal Government has extended the deadline for millions of Nigerians who are yet to link their National Identity numbers (NINs) with Subscriber Identity Module (SIM) cards to February 9 after an initial deadline of January 19.

This was made known in a statement released by the Chairman of the Association of Licensed Telecommunication Operators of Nigeria (ALTON), Gbenga Adebayo.

According to the statement, the extension of the deadline is to allow subscribers yet to sync their SIMs with their NINs to do so.

The statement also revealed that the body received confirmation of the deadline extension from the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC).

The body thereafter promised to start enrolling citizens to National Identity Database (NIDB) of the National Identity Management Commission (NIMC) to ease the frustration, desperation and extortion of people by desiring to get enrolled and get their NINs by unscrupulous elements.