Nigeria’s Permanent Representative to the United Nations, Amb. Jimoh Ibrahim has said Nigeria has no nuclear weapons and has never pursued a nuclear weapons programme.
Speaking at the 108th Plenary Meeting of the 80th Session of the UN General Assembly in New York on Monday, Ibrahim reaffirmed Nigeria’s commitment to global efforts to eliminate nuclear-weapon testing.
The envoy, who also chairs the UN Committee on Budget and Administration, said President Bola Tinubu directed him to restate Nigeria’s position and its readiness to strengthen international partnerships toward a world free of nuclear tests.
“Nigeria neither possesses nuclear weapons nor has it ever pursued a nuclear weapons programme,” Ibrahim told the Assembly. “We maintain key institutions and regulatory mechanisms to monitor and address issues relating to weapons of mass destruction.”
He identified the Nigeria Atomic Energy Commission as the lead agency overseeing the country’s nuclear-related activities and regulatory framework.
Ibrahim called for a review of Article 2(7) of the UN Charter, arguing that the principle of non-intervention should not prevent international action against states that engage in nuclear-weapon testing or possess weapons of mass destruction.
The Nigerian envoy said Nigeria aligns with the position of the African Group and congratulated the international community on the 30th anniversary of the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty, CTBT.
He noted that Africa remains a nuclear-weapon-free zone and has rejected nuclear explosive testing across the continent.
“Nigeria collaborates with countries across the world, including Russia, China, France, South Korea, and the United States, as part of our commitment to international cooperation,” he added.
Ibrahim urged UN member states to sustain efforts toward eliminating nuclear testing, saying it is critical to making the world safer and free from the threat posed by nuclear weapons.
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(Editor: Ebuwa Omo-Osagie)
