IGP extends deadline to validate automated tint permit, firearms licence

Police Commission opens recruitment portal April 1

The Inspector General of Police (IGP) Solomon Arase has directed that the deadline for the validation of automated vehicle tint permits and firearms licences be extended to May 31st 2016, as the initial closing date expired last week, with many Nigerians yet to register.

Meanwhile as part of efforts to commence the process of recruiting 10,000 policemen as promised by President Muhammadu Buhari last year, the Police Service Commission (PSC) has opened the portal where interested candidates can begin applying for intake into the force free of charge from the 1st April 2015.

A statement on the validation of permits by the Force Public Relations Officer (FPRO) Olabisi Kolawole issued yesterday in Abuja said the order for the extension “has become imperative to enable members of the public seamlessly key into the electronic platform initiative of the Nigeria Police Force Central Information System (NCIS).”

Recall that in January at the launch of the Nigeria Police Force Central Information System (NCIS) when he gave the directive for the revalidation of tint permit, fire arms licences and Character Certificates, Arase justified the new directive by saying the analogue system has a questionable integrity, as it can be easily forged.
He said: “It has been practically difficult to engage best international practices to vet firearms applicants, monitor the extent of compliance of licensees with extant firearms laws, and address the challenge of fire arms proliferation.
“All these gaps impact negatively on the ability of the Nigeria Police to effectively attain its core mandate of preventing and detecting crimes, and protecting the lives and property of the citizens…“I am to clarify that there will be a three months window for the revalidation of the Fire arms License and the Tinted Permit.

Consequently, with effect from March 18, 2016, the current Fire arms License and Tinted Permit will become invalid and holder may be liable to arrest and prosecution.”

Kolawole said the new order by the IGP has been communicated to all command commissioners of Police to facilitate compliance and “ensure that nobody is exploited and extorted on account of revalidating tinted permit, firearms licence, and
police character certificate, as revalidation is free of charge.
He also warned that those who are yet to complete their automated licence process should not be subjected to unnecessary harassment and embarrassment by policemen in their respective commands.”

The Assistant Director Press and Public Affairs of the PSC said Ikechukwu Ani in a statement yesterday said the unveiled portal for the recruitment exercise was opened on Tuesday 22nd March 2015, but would be fully operational and accessible by the members of the public from April 1, 2016.
Recall that President Muhammadu Buhari, at the opening of the National Security summit in August last year approved the recruitment of 10,000 additional Police Officers as one more incentive to curtailing unemployment, youth empowerment as well as addressing the obvious personnel deficit in the force.