The management of the National Centre for the Control of Small Arms and Light Weapons (NCCSALW) has disassociated the centre with information linking it with the National Taskforce on the Prohibition of Illegal Importation/Smuggling of Arms, Ammunition and Light Weapons (NATFORCE).
A statement signed by Group Captain Akintunde on behalf of the national coordinator of NCCSALW on Monday, said NCCSALW has no connection with NATFORCE.
He said the information on NATFORCE’s relationship with NCCSALW circulating on social media and in some national dailies is not only false but malicious and intended to portray its affiliation with the NCCSALW in order to justify its deceitful recruitment drive.
The statement reads in part: “The management of the National Centre for the Control of Small Arms and Light Weapons (NCCSALW) wishes to draw the attention of the general public to some false, fraudulent and misleading information linking the Centre with the National Taskforce on the Prohibition of Illegal Importation/Smuggling of Arms, Ammunition and Light Weapons (NATFORCE). Regrettably, some media organisations have also endorsed NATFORCE’s false declarations and have begun to disseminate the inaccurate information to unsuspecting members of the public.
“The NCCSALW condemns in the strongest terms the claims and insinuations that NATFORCE is linked to the NCCSALW and is an offshoot of the NCCSALW as contained in an opinion piece by one Ambassador (Dr) Fatima Mohammed Goni as published in the Daily Trust Newspaper and some online media agencies on 17 December 2021.
“Furthermore, the piece of article conveyed that, NATFORCE is the most desiring body that could be used to augment the growing security lapses and civil strife and is a source of meaningful employment for the teeming youths who are roaming the streets without means of livelihood.
“The NCCSALW wish to affirm for the records that it has no connection with NATFORCE or any of its activities as conveyed by the publication. Also, the Centre has not engaged NATFORCE or any individual or recruitment agents to recruit on its behalf. NATFORCE’s attempt to portray itself having any connection with NCCSALW is absolutely inept, inappropriate and deeply abhorred.”
