Police in Cross River State have recovered 4,555 stolen old identity cards and have arrested four suspected thieves who were found in possession of the cards.
They were arrested by the Police in Cross River state at Eyo-Edem Street, Calabar.
The suspects have also been charged to court by the police in line with the theft.
According to Mr. Loveday Chika Ogbonna, spokesperson of the the National Identity Management Commission, the commission has assured the public that the recovered cards were not part of the new National e-ID Card currently being issued by NIMC.
The new National e-ID Card, which was launched in late 2014 is of higher technology, making it extremely difficult to be faked or used by anyone who is not the registered owner.
A store house used by, Cross River State was recently burgled, and some items, including 4,555 old National Identity Cards carted away.
The store, in which some materials and items inherited by NIMC from the defunct Department of National Civic Registration (DNCR) were kept, was broken into and items, including about 4,555 pieces of the old National ID Cards leftover after distribution years ago were stolen.
The DNCR and all its assets and liabilities were taken over by NIMC in 2007.
