By Ismail Auwal
Federal Government has declared the National Taskforce on Prohibition of Illegal, Importation/Smuggling of Arms, Ammunition, Light Weapons, Chemical Weapons and Pipeline Vandalism (NATFORCE) illegal.
The Minister of Interior, Rauf Aregbesola, told newsmen shortly after the National Security Council (NSC) meeting chaired by President Muhammadu Buhari on Thursday that the council agreed that the organization is illegal and should disband itself.
The Senate in July this year passed a bill that seeks to establish a national commission for the coordination and control of the proliferation of small arms and light weapons in the country.
The House of Representatives is expected to pass its version of the law upon resumption from recess later in September 2022.
However, security experts have rejected the Senate’s inclusion of NATFORCE in the new Act, urging the lawmakers to expunge NATFORCE from the Bill when harmonizing both versions.
he 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.
