Nigeria has called for legally binding international rules governing autonomous weapons, warning that increasingly affordable military technologies could fall into the hands of terrorists.

The federal government made the appeal at the sixth plenary meeting of the United Nations General Assembly’s First Committee, which is responsible for disarmament and international security.

Speaking in Nigeria’s national capacity, Deputy Permanent Representative Martin Adamu warned that technological advances were creating dangerous possibilities for armed groups and other non-state actors.

Mr Adamu said autonomous weapons were becoming increasingly accessible because of their relatively low cost, availability, and ease of replication.

He maintained that these developments could enable terrorist organisations to acquire sophisticated weapons capable of threatening international peace and security.

The representative consequently urged the international community to establish clear rules before the technologies became more widely available to armed groups.

Mr Adamu called for negotiations on a legally binding international instrument containing explicit prohibitions and regulations governing lethal autonomous weapons systems.

He stressed that meaningful human control must remain central to decisions involving the use of force and the taking of human life.

The envoy warned that weapons whose effects could not be sufficiently understood, predicted, or controlled raised serious legal, humanitarian, and security concerns.

He maintained that technological sophistication could never eliminate the responsibility of human beings for decisions made during military operations.

Mr Adamu urged the forthcoming Seventh Review Conference of the Convention on Certain Conventional Weapons to provide the mandate required to commence negotiations.

The diplomat also expressed concern about the increasing integration of artificial intelligence into nuclear weapons systems.

He insisted that human judgment and control must be maintained in all decisions involving nuclear weapons, particularly as emerging technologies transform military capabilities.

The representative reaffirmed Nigeria’s conviction that the total elimination of nuclear weapons remained the only absolute guarantee against their use.

He expressed disappointment over the failure of the 11th Review Conference of the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons to achieve a substantive outcome in May.

Mr Adamu called for transparent, verifiable, and irreversible measures towards nuclear disarmament, particularly by countries possessing nuclear weapons.

He also reaffirmed support for the Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons and the African Nuclear-Weapon-Free Zone Treaty, commonly known as the Treaty of Pelindaba.

Mr Adamu urged countries to support the early entry into force of the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty while respecting the right to peaceful nuclear energy.

In another significant announcement, Nigeria disclosed that it had submitted two draft resolutions addressing disarmament and illicit trafficking in small arms and light weapons on behalf of ECOWAS member states.

The delegation appealed to other UN member states to support the proposals, which reflect West Africa’s continuing concerns about weapons proliferation and insecurity.

Nigeria said its National Centre for the Control of Small Arms and Light Weapons was strengthening efforts to implement international and regional arms-control commitments.

The country also advocated stronger international cooperation against illicit arms diversion, trafficking, and emerging weapons technologies, while supporting UN-led cybersecurity cooperation and peaceful uses of outer space. 

(NAN)