4 October 2001
Nigeria has called on the international community to guard against weapons of mass destruction falling into the hands of terrorist organisations that have demonstrated unimaginable callousness in committing their crime.
Contributing to a General Assembly debate on international terrorism on Monday, Nigeria's Permanent Representatives to the UN, Chief Arthur Mbanefo, warned that humanity may be heading for an abrupt end if terrorists were allowed access to nuclear, chemical and biological substances.
In this effort, the Ambassador expressed Nigeria's support for a draft convention on nuclear terrorism that had been proposed by Russia.
He also stressed the need for a comprehensive convention against international terrorism, saying that an initiative submitted by India should provide the basis for further consideration for such a convention.
Mbanefo said that even though 12 sectoral and regional conventions on terrorism had already been adopted, there was wisdom in having a comprehensive one as demanded by the General Assembly.
"We believe that such a convention should be truly comprehensive, covering all aspects of terrorism as well as breaking new grounds," he stated.
He urged all member states that have not become parties to the existing anti-terrorist instruments to do so, saying that Nigeria had signed the last convention on the suppression of financing of terrorism and intends to revisit all international instruments on terrorism with a view to acceding to them.
Terrorism, he observed, is a violation of human rights and a threat to the stability of all societies.
"That is why the international community must be very determined and firm in their resolve to confront and defeat terrorists, their network and collaborators," Mbanefo said.
In the fight against terrorism, the Nigerian envoy said the UN must continue to play a leading role, taking a cue from its declaration in 1994 that "actions of terrorists are criminal and cannot be justified by any circumstance or consideration be it political, philosophical, ideological, racial or ethnic."
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