‘NATFORCE only seeks to empower Nigerian youths’

A frontline grassroots stakeholder and mobilizer, Ambassador (Dr.) Fatima Muhammad Goni, has condemned the misconceptions going around about the activities of the National Taskforce on the Prohibition of Illegal Importation/Smuggling of Arms, Ammunition and Light Weapons (NATFORCE).

Amb. Goni, who is also the National Chairman, Grassroots Mobilizers for PMB/Osinbajo, in a statement in Abuja, said there are reports that a senator from Katsina publicly criticized and denied the existence of NATFORCE.

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According to her: “For the avoidance of doubt, NATFORCE is an off-shoot of the National Centre for the Control of Small Arms and Light Weapons (NCCSALW) which replaced the defunct Presidential Committee on Small Arms and Light Weapons and served as the institutional mechanism for policy guidance, research and monitoring of the proliferation of small arms and light weapons in Nigeria”.

She claimed that: “It is already in the public domain that the National Assembly has embraced the modes and operations of NATFORCE considering the growing demands for security in Nigeria”.

She further noted that: “An Executive Bill which, amongst other things, is seeking to establish a National Commission Against the Proliferation of Small Arms and Light Weapons is presently receiving attention at the National Assembly.

“President Muhammadu Buhari in his wisdom, on 26th August, 2021, forwarded to the Senate the Bill for the Control of Small Arms and Light Weapons 2021 for consideration, and the Speaker, House of Representatives, Femi Gbajabiamila, has also given assurance of a speedy consideration for the Bill”.

Amb. Goni said that instead of allowing youths to go into unprofitable ventures that will further aggravate the crisis in Nigeria, the youths, through NATFORCE, could be deployed to further secure the country as well as become gainfully employed.

“Nigerians are eagerly awaiting to hear a positive response from the two chambers empowered to make laws for the country i.e. the National Assembly, which will provide the needed legislative backing to properly define the responsibilities of the taskforce and set legal guidelines for its operations across the federation,” Amb. Fatima Goni said.