NATFORCE is illegal, says national security council

 

The national security council (NSC) says the National Taskforce on Prohibition of Illegal, Importation/Smuggling of Arms, Ammunition, Light Weapons, Chemical Weapons and Pipeline Vandalism (NATFORCE) is illegal.

 

Speaking with journalists after the NSC meeting chaired by President Muhammadu Buhari on Thursday, Rauf Aregbesola, minister of interior, said the council agreed that the organisation is illegal and that it should disband itself.

 

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 centre 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”.