The Federal Government has declared the National Task Force on Prohibition of Illegal, Importation/Smuggling of Arms, Ammunition, Light Weapons, Chemical Weapons and Pipeline Vandalism (NATFORCE) illegal.
Minister of Interior, Rauf Aregbesola, who briefed newsmen along with his Police Affairs counterpart, Mohammed Dingyadi, after the National Security Council on Thursday advised NATFORCE leadership to disband immediately, saying the decision was made during the meeting.
Aregbesola said: “The task force is an illegal body. There was never a time the Nigerian government set it up with any legislative instrument or power. So, what I’ve come here to tell Nigerians through you is that the body should simply disband itself or risk being forcefully disbanded by all security agencies.
“It is unknown to Nigerian laws and, therefore, illegal. It does not have any power at all to operate, and it has been illegal all the while, but we are now reinforcing the fact that it’s an illegal organisation that doesn’t have to operate anywhere in Nigeria. It should just phase out itself or risk the possible disbandment by security agencies.”
“We are just saying with this announcement to disband themselves or risk being disbanded forcibly by the Nigerian law enforcement agencies.
“I’m reporting to you the decision of the Nigerian Security Council, if you understand what it means, this is the highest executive organ on security in Nigeria.”
He said NATFORCE duties are already covered by the office of the National Security Adviser (NSA) Babagana Monguno.
Ifunanya Ikueze is an Engineer, Safety Professional, Writer, Investor, Entrepreneur and Educator.
