The National Taskforce on the Prohibition of Illegal Importation/Smuggling of Arms, Ammunition, Light Weapons (NATFORCE), has reacted to the news making the round that the outfit has been disbanded by the office of the National Security Adviser (NSA), Major-General Babagana Monguno (Rtd).
The outfit, in its reaction by a Director with the Cross River Command of the outfiy. Felix Effiong Nyong, who said the story of disbandment was strange to the organization, asserted that, NATFORCE is intact and not disbanded, adding that the news item about the disbandment of the outfit was also read like any other person on the street.
Making further clarification, Effiong disclosed that, up till the time of his reaction, no letter concerning the matter has got to their office from the NSA’s office or from any quarter whatsoever, enthusing that, the organization is waiting anxiously for the National Assembly to stamp it as a legislatively recognised security arrangement in the country.
He reminded that a Bill towards that is already before the National assembly, expressing the delight that the Bill has passed through a second reading towards a final ratification of the outfit as an agency that carry out legal security operations in Nigeria.
Though, Effiong kept mute about the won court case, it is in the public domain that, a Federal High Court sitting in Abuja has declared NATFORCE a legal security out following a civil case brought before the Hon Justice Hon. Justice E.S. Chukwu by the outfit against the Minister of Finance and the Inspector-General of Police (IGP), in April 2013.
The purported disbandment order of some illegal security organizations in the country was allegedly issued by the office of the NSA and signed by the Head, Strategic Communication, ZM Usman, directing immediate dismantling of all illegal security outfits in the country, NATFORCE inclusive!
The issue generated a lot of concerns across the country with people saying with the sorry state of security in Nigeria presently, such an outfit should not be disbanded but assisted to operate effectively.
Up till the time of going to press, all efforts to get reactions from the NSA’s office proved abortive, but with the brief comment from NATFORM, it is taken that the purported disbandment still remains in the realm of conjecture.
