Nigeria has no nuclear weapons programme — Envoy

Nigeria does not possess nuclear weapons and has no programme for developing weapons of mass destruction, the country’s Permanent Representative to the United Nations, Amb. Jimoh Ibrahim, has said.

Ibrahim made the clarification while speaking at the 108th Plenary Meeting of the 80th United Nations General Assembly in New York.

He said Nigeria remained committed to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s position in favour of a world free of nuclear weapons and would continue to support international efforts towards nuclear disarmament and non-proliferation.

According to him, Nigeria’s nuclear-related activities are strictly for peaceful purposes and are overseen by the Nigeria Atomic Energy Commission.

The envoy said Nigeria was collaborating with other countries and international organisations to promote the elimination of nuclear weapons and strengthen safeguards against nuclear proliferation.

He also called for reforms to the United Nations Charter to enable stronger international action against countries that conduct nuclear weapons tests.

Ibrahim noted that Africa had consistently maintained its status as a nuclear-weapon-free zone, stressing that preventing the spread of nuclear weapons remained particularly important to the continent.

His comments came as the international community marked 30 years of the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty, which seeks to prohibit nuclear weapon test explosions and other nuclear explosions.

Ibrahim reaffirmed Nigeria’s support for efforts to strengthen nuclear disarmament, non-proliferation and the peaceful application of nuclear technology.

He maintained that international security would be enhanced if countries collectively committed to preventing the development, proliferation and testing of nuclear weapons.