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Nigeria has renewed its call for urgent international action to halt the production of fissile material, stressing that global nuclear disarmament is both a legal necessity and a moral duty.
The country’s Minister of Defence, H.E. Mohammed Abubakar Badaru, CON, mni, made the appeal at the first Ministerial Meeting of the “Friends of a Fissile Material Cut-off Treaty (FMCT),” convened by Japan on the sidelines of the 80th United Nations General Assembly in New York.
“Closing the fissile material gap is the most realistic way to stop an uncontrolled arms race,” Badaru declared. “The FMCT will rebuild trust, strengthen the Non-Proliferation Treaty and give momentum back to disarmament.”
The Defence Minister emphasized the urgency of moving beyond rhetoric to concrete steps, recalling the lessons of Hiroshima and Nagasaki on their 80th anniversary. “The memory of Hiroshima and Nagasaki compels us to act with courage. The survival of humanity demands it,” he said.
Nigeria also underscored Africa’s record of restraint through the Treaty of Pelindaba, which created a nuclear-weapon-free zone across the continent. “Africa has shown that restraint is possible. Nigeria now calls for that same spirit to guide global action,” the Minister added.
To accelerate progress toward an FMCT, Badaru proposed immediate measures including a global moratorium on the production of fissile material for nuclear weapons, the dismantling or conversion of existing facilities for peaceful purposes, and using such interim steps to build political momentum toward a universal, verifiable and non-discriminatory treaty.
Linking Nigeria’s position to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda, the Minister argued that disarmament has direct implications for development. “Disarmament is not an abstract debate. Every step we take to reduce nuclear risks frees resources for health, education and economic growth,” he said.
Nigeria’s intervention marks a shift from participation to leadership in global disarmament, positioning the country as a bridge-builder committed to aligning regional achievements with global policy to ensure a safer, more secure world.
The statement was issued by Mati Ali, Personal Assistant (Media & Publicity) to the Honourable Minister of Defence.
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