Nigeria has restated its stance and recommitted to the pursuit of global peace on Wednesday when it said it has no plans to develop, produce, acquire or retain biological weapons.
Biological weapons also called by scientists as germ warfare is the application of biological toxins such as bacteria or viruses to kill or incapacitate animals or plants during war.
Under the 1925 Geneva protocol, it’s a crime to deploy biological weapons during war.
Several international humanitarian law treaties have also been enacted in the UN’s stance against the use of biological weapons.
Nigeria recommitted to the protocol on Wednesday during Stakeholders Forum on Implementation of the Biological Weapons Convention In Nigeria.
The country said its position is in consonance with the international community’s efforts at addressing the proliferation of Weapons of Mass Destruction (WMD).
Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Sen. George Akume, who restated Nigeria’s position, said the federal government has set up an Inter-Ministerial Council to provide policy guidance and direction on WMD.
Director, Information and Public Relations in the SGF’s office, Segun Imohiosen, who disclosed this in a statement on Wednesday said the event was organised by the National Authority on Chemical and Biological Weapons Conventions NAC&BWC in the Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation OSGF in collaboration with the United Nations Office for Disarmament Affairs UNODA.
He said the SGF was represented by his Senior Technical Assistant, Prof. Bolaji Babatunde at the event, stating that Nigeria being signatory to the Biological Weapons Convention of 10th July, 1972, is committed to abiding by the Convention which stipulates that no states parties should develop, produce, acquire or retain biological weapons.
The statement quoted Akume as saying, “In furtherance of its commitment to implementing the dictates of the Convention, he stated that the Federal Government through the National Authority on Chemical & Biological Weapons Convention NAC&BWC has set up an Inter-Ministerial Council which comprised over 42 members drawn from relevant Ministries, Departments, Agencies, Organized Private Sector and the Academia charged with the responsibility of providing requisite policy guidance and direction on issues relating to Biological Weapons Convention implementation through collaboration and cross-fertilization of ideas”, the statement added.
Earlier, Chief of the Biological Weapons Convention Implementation Support Unit in Geneva, Mr Daniel Feakes, expressed satisfaction at the commitment of the Federal Government in the comprehensive implementation of the Biological Weapons Convention which has helped in reducing the proliferation of small arms and other dangerous weapons that may pose threats to citizens.
In her goodwill message, Director-General/CEO of National Biosafety Management Agency NBMA, Dr. Agnes Yemisi Asagbra thanked the SGF for his immense support to the Agency in the discharge of its statutory obligations, assuring of its determination to ensure bio-security of the nation.
Nigeria Won’t Develop Biological Weapons – FG Assures International Community is first published on The Whistler Newspaper