FG Declares NATFORCE Illegal, Wants Checkpoints Dismantled

The National Taskforce on the Prohibition of Illegal Importation/Smuggling of Arms, Ammunitions, Light Weapons, Chemical Weapons, and Pipeline Vandalism (NATFORCE) has been declared illegal by the Federal Government.

This was revealed in a statement obtained by Grassroots.ng from the Office of the National Security Adviser.

The NSA also ordered the collapse of all illegal security outfits in Nigeria.

The government expressed anger over their use to extort, harass and intimidate Nigerians.

Usman cautioned individuals, organizations and foreign partners against dealing with NATFORCE.

The official said the National Centre for the Control of Small Arms and Light Weapons (NCCSALW), under the NSA supervision, is the national coordination mechanism for the control and monitoring of arms.

Usman condemned NATFORCE for “mounting illegal roadblocks, conducting illegal searches, seizures and recruitment”.

The NSA office stressed that the organisation “is an illegal outfit without any mandate or authority to carry out these functions”.

“The promoters are warned to dismantle their structures and operations immediately”, the statement added.