A Federal High Court (FHC), Abuja has nullified the Special Task Force on Illegal Smuggling of Firearms established by Kogi state governor, Yahaya Bello.
Justice James Omotosho, in a judgment, held that regulation and control of firearms were sole responsibilities of the appropriate federal agencies and not the state governments or agencies set up by them.
It would be recalled that Hon Ahmadu Danjuma had, in a suit marked: FHC/ABJ/CS/697/2023, sued the governor, Mr Friday Sani Makama, Director-General (DG) of State Security Service (also known as DSS) as 1st to 3rd defendants’ respectively.
Others joined in the suit include DG of National Intelligence Agency (NIA), the Inspector-General (I-G) of Police and the National Security Adviser (NSA) as 4th to 6th defendants.
Danjuma, through his lawyer, Promise Ogbadu, had challenged Gov. Bello’s setting up of the task force and giving them powers to regulate firearms within the state.
The governor, after the establishment of the task force, appointed Makama as the director general of the group.
Delivering the judgement on Oct. 5 and a copy of it made available to newsmen on Tuesday, Justice Omotosho declared the task force as “illegal, null and void.”
He held that Bello had “no power to unilaterally regulate or control the possession of, or dealing in firearms in Kogi State or any part thereof.”
He said that the DSS, NIA, I-G and the NSA were the constitutionally recognised agencies saddled with the responsibility of firearms regulation in the country.
The judge held that the appointment of Makama as DG of the task force constituted a threat to the security of the state and nullified his appointment forthwith.
He consequently, ordered the retrieval of all arms in the possession of the task force, as well as a thorough investigation into the activities of Makama and all those under him.
Reacting to the judgement on Tuesday, counsel to the plaintiff, Ogbadu, said the judgement was in line with the rule of law, expressing optimism that the state government and relevant security agencies would comply with the order of the court.
