Why I can’t reveal my next of kin – Obasanjo

Former President Olusegun Obasanjo on Friday registered for the National Identity Card (NIC) and kept the information about his next of kin away from the prying eyes reporters who were bent on capturing his personal data.

The former president said this would prevent undue “publicity on the matter.”

Obasanjo, who arrived the National Identity Management Commission (NIMC) office, Oke – Mosan, Abeokuta, at 1:35pm and received by the NIMC’s officials led by the Director of Identity Card Database, Abuja office, Engr. Aliu Azeez, quickly had his height measured and finger prints taken.

But when it got to the column requiring information about his next of kin, the former president who had been responding orally to the NIMC officials’ questions, picked a piece of paper, covered it with his palm, wrote the name of his next of kin and handed it over to the commission’s personnel.

Turning to the curious reporters and surging television cameramen, he said: “I have decided to keep my next of kin secret and away from you. If you know it, you will give it undue publicity.”

He later expressed confidence that the project if sustained, would help tackle the country security challenges.