Forum Lauds NASS Over NATFORCE Bill, Cautions NSA On Disbandment Order
A Pan-Yoruba socio-cultural group, Oodua Patriotic Peoples Front (OPPF), has given kudos for the initiator of the National Taskforce on the Prohibition of Illegal Importation/Smuggling of Arms, Ammunition, Light Weapons, Chemical Weapons and Pipeline Vandalism (NATFORCE), Dr, Baba Muhammed, adding that, the National Assembly also deserves an accolade for debating a Bill towards legalising the outfit as a local security agency.
The Convener of the Forum, Ogbeni Oyebode Olaniran Akanji, who spoke on behalf of the organization in Ibadan early Tuesday morning, however, cautioned the National Security Adviser (NSA), Major-General Babagana Monguno (Rtd), to reconsider his disbandment order place on the outfit, reminding him of a 2013 Federal High Court pronouncing the outfit legal.
Ogbeni Akanji spoke on the heel of the declaration that NATFORCE is an illegal security outfit by General Monguno (Rtd), describing it as funny, ridiculous and an anti-democratic action which also goes against the rule of law and democratic norms he posited that, the hasty action taken by the General was against the interest of the Nigerian people, very unpopular and unwelcome development.
Recalled that the initiator of the security outfit, Dr Baba Muhammed, has tested the legality of NATFORCE in an Abuja Federal High Court where it was declared as a legal entity without baggage, saying it was only expected that another higher court of competent could overrule it.
The case under reference was a civil suit brought before that court by the outfit against the Federal Minister of Finance and the Inspector General of Police, where NATFORCE was declared as a legal outfit, adding that, right now, the National Assembly, the legally mandated law-making House is caressing a bill towards making the organization
It is on record that, former Speaker of the House of Representatives, Rt. Hon. Yakubu Dogara (APC, Bauchi) and Senator Smart Adeyemi of Kogi APC sponsored the Bill that has just passed the mandated second reading.
The Forum expressed genuine concern over the plight of youth in their thousands that would lose the job opportunities through the NATFORCE, pointing out that, apart from the job of combating crime, the combatants themselves would be gainfully engaged so much they would not have a chance to commit crime.
Against this backdrop, the human right Forum appealed to the NSA to consider the benefit the outfit represent and allow it to become operational rather than killing the body at its embryonic stage at this point in time when Nigeria is so much in need of more volunteers to protect her.
In the final analysis, the Forum, therefore, appealed to all Nigerians, home and abroad to assist the NATFORCE initiator to achieve his laudable initiative by prevailing on the NSA to reverse his order on the security outfit for the benefit of all.
