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National Security Council Declares NATFORCE Illegal

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The National Security Council (NSC) declared the National Taskforce on Prohibition of Illegal, Importation/Smuggling of Arms, Ammunition, Light Weapons, Chemical Weapons, and Pipeline Vandalism (NATFORCE) illegal.

 

 

National Security Council Declares NATFORCE Illegal
NATFORCE

The council, therefore, asked the body to disband itself or face the wrath of the Federal Government.

The Minister of Interior, Rauf Aregbesola, disclosed this after Thursday’s National Security Council, NSC, meeting presided over by the President,  Muhammadu Buhari, at the State House, Abuja.

A bill passed by the Senate in July seeks to establish a national commission for the coordination and control of the proliferation of small arms and light weapons in the country.

The legislation is a consolidation of three bills — one proposed by the executive, and the other two sponsored by senators. The house of representatives is yet to pass the bill.

Buhari had blamed the influx of small arms into the country on the crisis in Libya, which he said fuelled insecurity in Nigeria.

Libya has not been stable since the Arab Spring of 2011 and this has led to a humanitarian crisis in the oil-rich country.

In 2021, Buhari approved the establishment of a National Center for the Control of Small Arms and Light Weapons (NCCSALW).

Aregbesola also said the investigation into the Kuje correctional facility attack by gunmen “is still work in progress”.

Aregbesola who said the council received reports from all service chiefs and Inspector-General of Police, said it is “very satisfied” with the performance of all security agencies and that the country is moving to the phase of consolidated security.

He said the council also commended the police for its performance in Ekiti, Osun, and Anambra states where governorship elections were conducted recently.

However, he expressed concern over the remaining passengers kidnapped in the March 28 attack on a Kaduna-bound train saying no effort will be spared to rescue them alive.

On his part, the  Minister of Police Affairs, Mohammed Maigari Dingyadi, said the arrest and detention of the main negotiator with terrorists, Tukur Mamu, does not mean contact will be lost with the abductors.

According to him, there are other negotiators the government can employ as go-betweens.

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