INEC Prints 40 Million Permanent Voters’ Cards

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has
announced the commencement of the printing of 40 million permanent voters’
cards.

The Chairman, Prof. Attahiru Jega, made this known in Abuja,
when he met participants at the International training seminar on national
security organised by the Defence Intelligence School, Abuja.

He said the cards were part of the 70.5 million cards being
planned by the commission, adding that the balance of 30.5 million cards would
be ready by 2013.

He said INEC had been working round the clock to ensure the
success of the project.

“We have gone very far, we are producing the first batch
which is about 40 million of the 73.5 million voters who have been registered.”

INEC chairman said that by the end of 2013, every registered
voter in the country, would have been provided with permanent voter’s card to
enable them vote in the 2015 general elections.

The permanent cards contained security features such as barcode,
hologram, micro text, fingerprints, contactless/embedded chip with printed
voter details and photograph.

The Commandant of the school, Wing.Cdr. Idris Hassan, said
the visit was to “avail the 30 participants with the understanding, working and
the concepts of national security from the INEC perspectives.”

Hassan said the school was responsible for the provision of
strategic intelligence and specific training to members of the armed forces and
other relevant agencies in the country.

This effort, he added, was being done in collaboration with
France, Germany, America and Israel.