Nigeria has called on the international community to avoid public criticism as it grapples with growing security challenges, emphasizing that cooperation is the key to resolving the crisis.
The appeal was made by Mr. Syndoph Endoni, Chargé d’Affaires at Nigeria’s Permanent Mission to the United Nations, during his address to the UN Security Council in New York.
Endoni outlined the serious impact of the uncontrolled spread of Small Arms and Light Weapons (SALW) across the Sahel region, noting that these arms have intensified insurgencies, prolonged conflicts, and fueled violent extremist activity. He described the human toll as severe, with countless lives lost, communities uprooted, and livelihoods destroyed.
“We condemn these criminal acts, particularly those carried out with easily accessible small arms, because they are inhuman, wicked, and unacceptable,” Endoni said. He added that naming and shaming Nigeria would not resolve these issues; only a collaborative, solution-oriented approach could bring meaningful results.
The Nigerian envoy stressed that addressing insecurity is not solely a national matter but a humanitarian and developmental concern that requires global cooperation. He urged the international community to work together with Nigeria to tackle the root causes of violence and instability.
Nigeria’s statement came against the backdrop of the United States’ designation of the country as a “Country of Particular Concern” over alleged religious persecution, which Nigerian authorities have strongly rejected. Endoni reaffirmed that constructive engagement, rather than public criticism, is essential to achieving peace and stability.
