Outrage As FG Orders Nigerians Submit Self-Certification Forms Or Lose Bank Accounts

Nigerians have reacted angrily to an order by the federal government led by President Muhammadu Buhari mandating all persons holding accounts across financial institutions and insurance firms to complete and submit Self-certification forms.

Naija News had reported earlier that the Federal Government made this known in a social media statement on Thursday evening, where it warned that failure to comply may include a monetary penalty or inability to operate the account.

The federal government said the certification forms would be in 3 categories, which are “Form for Entity – For Controlling Person (Individuals having a controlling interest in a legal person, trustee, etc) – Form for individual”.

The statement reads as thus; “INFORMATION: This is to notify the general public that all account holders in Financial Institutions (Banks, Insurance Companies, etc) are required to obtain, complete and submit Self – Certification Forms to their respective Financial Institutions.

INFORMATION:

This is to notify the general public that all account holders in Financial Institutions (Banks, Insurance Companies, etc) are required to obtain, complete and submit Self – Certification Forms to their respective Financial Institutions.

— Government of Nigeria (@NigeriaGov) September 17, 2020

“Persons holding accounts in different financial institutions is required to complete & submit the form to each one of the institutions. The forms are required by the relevant financial institutions to carry out due diligence procedures in line with the Income Tax Regulations 2019

“The self-certification form is in 3 categories:
– Form for Entity
– For Controlling Person (Individuals having controlling interest in a legal person, trustee, etc)
– Form for individual

“Failure to comply with the requirement to administer or execute this form attracts sanctions which may include monetary penalty or inability to operate the account. For more enquiries visit @firsNigeria website (http://firs.gov.ng) for more details.”

Failure to comply with the requirement to administer or execute this form attracts sanctions which may include monetary penalty or inability to operate the account. For more enquiries visit @firsNigeria website (https://t.co/lv3VYV5wD4) for more details.

— Government of Nigeria (@NigeriaGov) September 17, 2020

Moments after the news broke, Nigerians took to the micro-blogging site, Twitter to berate the federal government.

Naija News captured some of the reactions below…

I have 6+ accounts, that means I will visit those 6 banks separately to do this trash. 3 of these banks are virtual.
I did National ID since 2014, till date, I still see another person’s name there, I don’t have NIN.

See eh, nothing dey una brain, na just dust and vibes. https://t.co/uKjAzlFZZe

— Enyiuche (UncleSnr) (@Emperorneco) September 17, 2020

The Buhari regime behaves like a stubborn witch that is determined to kill its victim by all means. They don’t even pretend about the fact that they want to foist hardship on the citizens. Asking people to line up in banks and fill forms despite National ID and BVN is ludicrous.

— Inibehe Effiong (@InibeheEffiong) September 17, 2020

We’ve identified & verified ourselves through every means possible with National ID, BVN, sim registration, drivers license etc but you still want us to MANUALLY fill form to come & tell you who we are AGAIN. If you don’t know who we are at this point, we are fine with it abeg

— ebele. (@ebelee_) September 17, 2020

Local man suffered to do BVN.
Got extorted to do National ID.
Got extorted to do International passport.
Suffered to get Voters card.
Suffered to do Drivers license.
All biometrics but still unknown in the country.

Call Bill Gates to come and put chip in my body please. https://t.co/R9UIBQU7ta

— Bam Bam (@wastedtwits) September 17, 2020

BVN. Driver’s license. National ID card. INEC registration. International passport. Biometrics were taken in all these places. So, what is the meaning of this?

— Olusegun Adeniyi (@Olusegunverdict) September 17, 2020

Na you do National ID card, na you do SIM registration, you even did Bank Verification Number to align accounts but you are here again talking “Self-Certification. Even if you are confused about running government, can you at least pretend not to be confused?

— JJ. Omojuwa (@Omojuwa) September 17, 2020

BVN = biometric. National ID = biometric. SIM registration = biometric. Drivers License = Biometric. But I assure you, this new “self-certification” is the baba of them all, once it is done, everything that couldn’t be done with all these other ones will be done. SMH.

— JJ. Omojuwa (@Omojuwa) September 17, 2020

U have BVN, Drivers Licence, International Passport, Birth Certificate, SIM registration, National ID card, Voters card bt it is not enough. U have to gt self-certification to continue operating ur accounts, I think the worst thing that can happen to a man is 2 be born in Nigeria

— Al’ameen✨ (@Al_ameen_Yabo) September 17, 2020

Small time they will ask us to go and bring the left finger of our dead grand mothers. Because after BVN, Drivers Licence, International Passport, Birth Certificate, SIM registration, National ID card, I don’t know what else they want.

— Dr. Dípò Awójídé (@OgbeniDipo) September 17, 2020

BVN. National Driver’s license. National ID card. INEC registration. International Passport. Biometrics were taken in all these places. Why do you people like to see us suffer in queues for no reason? Can’t you take whatever data you need already? This is just so wrong. https://t.co/mbh4adyXLV

— The Godfather JP (@AyoOyalowo) September 17, 2020

I act like am ok but deep down inside me I wanna Retake the picture on my national ID pic.twitter.com/for3I0w7Wx

— FRAMUKA’S 4TH SON?? (@nckson7) September 17, 2020