Vice President Kashim Shettima has reaffirmed Nigeria’s commitment to the global ban on nuclear weapons testing, emphasizing the country’s focus on socio-economic development rather than nuclear armament.
Shettima made the remarks during a meeting at the Presidential Villa with a delegation from the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty Organisation (CTBTO), led by its Executive Secretary, Dr. Robert Floyd.
“Nuclear conflict yields no winners,” the Vice President stated. “We are engaged in battles against poverty and the damaging intersection of economic and ecological crises, particularly in sub-Saharan Africa. Our priorities do not—and should not—include nuclear weapons.”
He reiterated Nigeria’s support for the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty (CTBT), praising CTBTO’s role in monitoring compliance through its global network of 337 verification stations.
“All seven tests conducted by DPR Korea were detected. That level of vigilance is commendable,” Shettima noted, also acknowledging CTBTO’s civilian contributions in detecting natural disasters like tsunamis and volcanic activity.
Dr. Floyd, in response, commended Nigeria’s leadership under President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for its dedication to nuclear disarmament and the global non-proliferation agenda. He described Nigeria’s partnership with CTBTO as “natural,” citing the technical contributions of national agencies such as the Nigerian Atomic Energy Commission (NAEC) and the Nigerian Nuclear Regulatory Authority (NNRA).
He lauded Nigeria’s role in promoting global norms against nuclear testing, emphasizing the importance of continued collaboration to advance peace and security worldwide.
