By John Ikani
The National Task Force for Control of Small Arms and Light Weapons, NATFORCE has been disbanded by the Office of the National Security Adviser, ONSA.
This was made known by a statement issued by the ONSA’s Head of Strategic Communication, ZM Usman, on Sunday.
According to the statement, the ONSA’s also directed the immediate dismantling of other illegal security outfits, warning against the use of these outfits to extort, harass and intimidate Nigerians.
These illegal outfits, the statement said, have been masquerading and acting as part of the Nigerian security architecture while extorting, harassing and intimidating Nigerians.
“One of such groups is NATFORCE which seeks to combat illegal importation of Arms, Ammunition, Light Weapons, Chemical Weapons and Pipeline Vandalism and has been involved in mounting of illegal roadblocks, conducting illegal searches, seizures and recruitment.
It stressed that the activities of NATFORCE which was illegally formed as a taskforce to combat illegal importation and smuggling of small arms, ammunitions and light weapons into Nigeria.
“For the avoidance of doubt, the general public and all stakeholders are to note that NATFORCE is an illegal outfit without any mandate or authority to carry out these functions.
“This trend is unacceptable and the promoters of NATFORCE are warned to dismantle their structures and operations immediately.”
“The National Centre for the Control of Small Arms and Light Weapons (NCCSALW) domiciled in the Office of the National Security Adviser is the national co-ordination mechanism for the control and monitoring of the proliferation of small arms and light weapons in Nigeria,” the statement stressed.
NATFORCE and long walk to legal framework
NATFORCE’s director General, Dr. Baba Mohammed says the legal framework of the agency is undergoing processes at the parliament.
Speaking at an award event Thursday in Abuja, Mohammed said NATFORCE is not out to take the job of any agency in Nigeria but to complement other agencies of government.
“We exist to fill the gaps that have been identified today as far as illegal arms and ammunition is concerned,” he noted.
He added that the role of the agency is supportive and that the agency has been collaborating with other sister agencies.
The DG stated that, ECOWAS is fully in support of the agency but that, they need legal and regulatory framework design for them to continue their work which is why they had to approach the National Assembly to pass the NATFORCE bill andbit has passed through second reading.
