The National Identification and Registration Authority (NIRA) has apprehended a group of individuals posing as registration assistants at its Nakawa Division office on Ntinda Kalinabiri Road in Kampala, authorities confirmed on Thursday.
NIRA said the suspects, most of them women, were pretending to help applicants register for National IDs, collecting illegal payments for services that are supposed to be free.
“Anyone demanding money in exchange for NIRA services, whether in uniform, civilian clothes, or with convincing ‘connections,’ is a fraudster,” the authority said in a statement.
According to NIRA, the suspects blended into the crowd, using rehearsed explanations and coded language aimed at convincing applicants they were legitimate staff. However, observant Nakawa Division officials and on-site police detected irregularities and coordinated a swift operation to apprehend the group.
“One minute, the suspects were busy collecting small notes; the next, they were climbing onto a police pickup, realizing this was no longer business as usual,” NIRA’s social media post narrated.
Evidence recovered from the suspects included registration forms, mobile phones, keys, cash in small denominations, and other items linked to the scam.
NIRA likened the arrests to a previous operation at the Kampala Central office, emphasizing that fraudulent activities at registration centers follow a familiar pattern: tricksters attempt quick gains, but law enforcement eventually intervenes.
“From NIRA Kampala Central to Nakawa office, the pattern is familiar: the trickster laughs first, but the village laughs last,” the statement said.
The authority reiterated that all NIRA services are free, urging citizens to report anyone demanding payment or offering shortcuts.
“Huduma ni bure — service is free. Don’t fall for hustlers pretending to help you,” NIRA added.
The operation underscores NIRA’s commitment to safeguarding the integrity of the National ID registration process and protecting citizens from scams at registration points across the country.
