Event Summary
The National Civil Registration Authority (NCRA) has, in a press statement, declared a hard deadline of 31 August 2025 for residents, especially citizens, who do not acquire National ID Cards. In a press conference, Director General Mohamed Massaquoi stated that people will be denied access to public services, including banks, unless they possess a valid ID. The Inspector General (IGP) William Fayia Sellu of the Sierra Leone Police (SLP) and the National Security Coordinator Abdulai Caulker in the Office of National Security (ONS) emphasized they will commence “operation stop and check” for IDs in the streets across the Country. This is a concern for activists and social commentators, including the Chief Executive of the Centre for Human Rights and Development International, Abdul Fatoma, who considers this a violation of human rights and freedoms and against the Constitution of Sierra Leone. To them, restricting the movement of people is unwarranted and makes life more challenging for the ordinary Sierra Leonean.