Shettima reaffirms Nigeria’s commitment to nuclear test ban

Vice President Kashim Shettima has restated Nigeria’s unwavering commitment to a comprehensive ban on nuclear testing, stressing that the nation is more focused on tackling poverty and climate change than pursuing nuclear weapons.

Shettima made the declaration on Monday while receiving the Executive Secretary of the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty Organisation (CTBTO), Dr. Robert Floyd, at the Presidential Villa in Abuja.

According to a statement by Stanley Nkwocha, Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media & Communications (Office of the Vice President), Shettima emphasized that Nigeria, like many African nations, is focused on addressing pressing socio-economic and environmental challenges.

“The outcome of any nuclear conflict is never a win-win situation. We are fighting poverty and the economic-ecological imbalance in sub-Saharan Africa. We have no business with nuclear weapons,” Shettima stated.

He also praised CTBTO’s global monitoring efforts, which include 337 detection stations worldwide, noting the organisation’s crucial role in detecting all seven nuclear tests conducted by North Korea.

Beyond nuclear monitoring, Shettima lauded CTBTO’s contributions to civilian safety, such as detecting tsunamis and seismic activity. “Your work supports global ecological stability,” he said.

In his remarks, Dr. Floyd commended Nigeria’s leadership and consistent support for international norms against nuclear testing. He described Nigeria as a natural partner and praised the country’s technical contributions through agencies like the Nigerian Atomic Energy Commission (NAEC) and the Nigerian Nuclear Regulatory Authority (NNRA).

Dr. Floyd highlighted the life-saving impact of the data provided by Nigeria’s monitoring stations, particularly in disaster prediction and ecological surveillance.

NAEC Acting Chairman, Engr. Anthony Ekedegwa, and NNRA Director General, Dr. Yau Idris, both reaffirmed Nigeria’s dedication to international cooperation on nuclear safety and capacity development in the local nuclear sector.

Also in attendance were the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Amb. Dunoma Ahmed; CTBTO’s Senior External Relations Officer, Mr. Charles Oko; and other senior officials from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, NAEC, and NNRA.