NIGERIA HAS SIGNED THE NUCLEAR WEAPON PROHIBITION TREATY

The country joins other countries that signed the treaty to ban nuclear weapons amid tensions over North Korea’s nuclear and missile tests.

Minister of Foreign Affairs, Geofrey Onyeama, signed the treaty on behalf of Nigeria on Wednesday (20th Sept 2017)  at the UN headquarters on the sidelines of the High-level UN General Assembly. After the signing ceremony, Onyeama told journalists that Nigeria was in support of a weapons-free world.

He said “right from the early 60’s, Nigeria has been a strong advocate of nuclear weapons prohibition and non-proliferation of nuclear weapons.

“You may recall in the early 60’s when France tested an atom bomb-related device in the Sahara and Nigeria cut diplomatic relations with France at the time.

He urged countries that signed the treaty, Civil Society Organisations and intergovernmental organisations to convince others to accede to the treaty.

Onyeama added by saying “​T​he point made was that even if those nuclear weapons states were​ ​not ready to sign, they should at least take measures to ensure there was no accidental use or deliberate use of nuclear weapons​”.

According to the minister, it was unfortunate that countries with nuclear weapons saw them as deterrence and safeguarded their security.

The treaty would enter into force 90 days after 50 countries ratified it.