The Office of the National Security Adviser (ONSA) has declared that NATFORCE, an organization formed as a taskforce to combat illegal importation and smuggling of small arms, ammunitions and light weapons into Nigeria, is an illegal entity.
It has also directed the immediate dismantling of all illegal security outfits in the country, and warned against the use of these outfits to extort, harass and intimidate Nigerians.
A statement on Sunday signed by Z.M. Usman, the Head, Strategic Communication, Office of the National Security Adviser, said: “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.”
It said that 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 coordination mechanism for the control and monitoring of the proliferation of small arms and light weapons in Nigeria.
The ONSA expressed concern over the proliferation of illegal security outfits in the country, which have been masquerading and acting as part of the Nigerian security architecture while extorting, harassing and intimidating Nigerians.
It alleged that NATFORCE, which it identified as one of such illegal outfits, has been involved in mounting of illegal roadblocks, conducting illegal searches, seizures and recruitment.
“Following the setting up of the National Centre for the Control of Small Arms and Light Weapons on 3 May 2021, Nigeria has initiated the process for the full implementation of Article 24 of the ECOWAS Convention on small arms and light weapons,” it added.
It then encouraged national and international stakeholders to work closely with the Centre to strengthen government-civil society initiatives.
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