Nigeria has appealed to the international community to adopt a more collaborative approach in addressing the country’s security challenges, urging global partners to avoid what it described as “naming and shaming” tactics.
The appeal was delivered by Mr. Syndoph Endoni, Chargé d’Affaires of Nigeria’s Permanent Mission to the United Nations, during a briefing at the UN Security Council in New York. His remarks came as the Council deliberated on the Illicit Proliferation of Small Arms and Light Weapons (SALW) and its Impact on the Sahel Region—a pressing issue that continues to fuel instability across West Africa.
Endoni highlighted that the uncontrolled movement of small arms has deepened the region’s security crises by empowering insurgent groups, terrorists, and violent criminal networks. This, he noted, has resulted in the widespread destruction of property, mass displacement, and the loss of countless innocent lives.
“This challenge is not just a matter of national security—it is a grave humanitarian and developmental emergency,” he told the Council. He condemned the atrocities committed by armed groups and stressed that global cooperation, intelligence sharing, and strengthened border controls would be far more effective than public criticism.
“We must work together to confront this menace. Naming and shaming countries grappling with complex security issues does not solve the problem,” Endoni added.
Nigeria’s remarks follow recent controversy surrounding the United States’ decision to label the country a “Country of Particular Concern” over allegations of targeted attacks on Christian communities—a designation the Nigerian government strongly disputes.
Officials in Abuja maintain that such labels create diplomatic tension and undermine ongoing regional partnerships aimed at curbing terrorism, arms smuggling, and communal violence.
Source:Africa Publicity
