TheCable

Nigeria has said the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction (WMD) is a grave threat to the world.

Speaking on Wednesday at the UN security council open debate on non-proliferation of weapons of mass destruction, Tijjani Bande, Nigeria’s ambassador to the United Nations, said the country is committed to a nuclear weapons-free world.

He said the country regards the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction and their means of delivery as “a grave threat to our collective security”.

“This indeed is a global challenge that requires concerted and sustained effort on the part of the international community, including the security council,” he said.

“In recent times, the risk of non-state actors, including terrorists acquiring, developing, manufacturing and using nuclear, chemical and biological weapons remains a serious threat to global peace and security.

“Terrorists and their sponsors have shown the intent and, at least in the case of chemical weapons, some capability to develop and acquire weapons of mass destruction and to use them.”

He said Nigeria believes the establishment of nuclear weapons-free zones across the world is “a potent tool to prevent the vertical and horizontal proliferation of weapons of mass destruction”.

He said Nigeria would continue to support efforts to establish nuclear weapons-free zones in parts of the world where they currently do not exist.

“In spite of its many known challenges and imperfections, we regard the nuclear non-proliferation treaty (NPT) as the cornerstone of global non-proliferation regime,” he added.

Bande further stated that while Nigeria recognises the right of any party to pursue a peaceful nuclear programme, “this must be pursued within the ambit of the NPT and other relevant international instruments”.

“We stress that efforts aimed at nuclear non-proliferation should tally with simultaneous efforts aimed at nuclear disarmament, he said.

“Nigeria is concerned about the slow pace of progress toward nuclear disarmament and the lack of progress by the nuclear-weapon states to accomplish the task of total elimination of their nuclear stockpiles.

“We call on the nuclear-weapon states to fulfil their multilateral legal obligations on nuclear disarmament.

“Nigeria wishes to stress that resolution 1540 (2004) and its effective implementation remains key component of the global architecture for countering the danger posed by the threat of proliferation of weapons of mass destruction.”

The envoy warned that the emergence of extremist groups has introduced a sense of urgency towards actions aimed at ending the proliferation of such weapons.

“This should serve as a clarion call for us to vigorously confront one of the key security challenges of our time,” he added.