Monrovia, Liberia – A plot to fabricate national identity cards has led the Liberia National Police to arrest one person while searching for eight more. The individuals are accused of offering World Bank loans to Liberia Marketing Association members in return for the forged identification documents.
The Executive Director of the National Identification Registry (NIR), Andrew Peters, stated that Christopher Gardea, the person in detention, is being investigated by the police and is awaiting prosecution.
On Friday, Mr. Peters warned the public against creating and using fake national identification documents at an unplanned news appearance in Congo Town. There is a direct connection between the National Identification Registry database and the national ID card, Mr. Peters stressed that the full force of the law will be applied on anyone found to be using or creating a phony card.
He warned people not to interact with unapproved people or organizations and explained that the NIR is the only body in Liberia with the authority to issue national identity cards. The Executive Director of the NIR advised the public and Liberia Marketing Association members to be on guard and not fall for these scams.
The procedure takes three days in Monrovia and up to a week for applicants outside of Montserrado County, he said, advising anybody looking for a valid national ID card to visit the approved NIR centers.
In addition to jeopardizing the integrity of the national identity system, Peters said, “this scheme puts citizens at risk of legal consequences.” He reaffirmed how crucial it is to protect the nation’s ID system, which is a vital means of identity verification.
Mr. Peters revealed that in order to keep an eye on and catch individuals who are involved in national ID card fraud, the combined security forces have been put on high alert. He assured the Liberians that the government is determined to stop these illegal actions.
The Liberia National Police has however encourage anyone with knowledge regarding the other suspects to come forward as the investigation is still underway.
