Tinubu Urges UN Security Council to Act Against Nuclear Weapons Proliferation

President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has called on the United Nations Security Council to provide stronger leadership in enforcing the principles of the UN Charter and impose sanctions against the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction.

Tinubu also called for the total elimination of nuclear weapons, saying Nigeria’s national security does not depend on possessing nuclear arms.

The president’s position was conveyed by Nigeria’s Permanent Representative to the United Nations, Ambassador Jimoh Ibrahim, at a high-level United Nations General Assembly meeting in New York on Tuesday to mark the International Day for the Total Elimination of Nuclear Weapons.

The annual meeting is focused on advancing global nuclear disarmament, which the United Nations identifies as its highest disarmament priority.

Ibrahim said Nigeria does not support the production or proliferation of nuclear weapons and urged countries to comply with the UN Charter’s provisions on disarmament and the prohibition of the use or threat of force against other states.

He said adherence to the Charter would help strengthen international peace and reduce the need for the production and proliferation of weapons of mass destruction.

Ibrahim also conveyed Tinubu’s commendation to African leaders for efforts to keep the continent free from nuclear weapons testing and the production of weapons of mass destruction.

He highlighted the devastating human cost of the atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki during World War II and called for greater international commitment to peace and stability.

The Nigerian envoy said the international community should take steps to address actions that fuel geopolitical tensions and increase the risks associated with nuclear weapons.

The United Nations says more than 12,000 nuclear warheads were in the global inventory as of January 2026, with more than 2,000 reportedly maintained at high operational readiness.

The UN meeting brought together member states to raise awareness about the risks posed by nuclear weapons and advance efforts toward a world free of nuclear arms.