Foreign Affairs Minister Odein Ajumogobia has denied that there were pressures from Western nations on Nigeria to report its seizure of arms shipment from Iran to the United Nation’s Security Council.
Nigeria’s Permanent Representative to the UN, Joy Ogwu, on Monday formally notified the UN’s Security Council sanctions committee about the seizure of the arms by the State Security Services (SSS) which intercepted 13 containers labelled as building materials but which were actually rocket launchers, grenades and other explosives in October.
Mr Ajumogobia told reporters at the UN before leaving New York that “I feel we have international obligations to carry them out as responsible members of the UN and it is as simple as that, and I made that very clear to the Iran’s Foreign Minister Manouchehr Mottaki when I met him in Abuja last week’’ he said.
He said most senior foreign diplomats told him at the UN that they were impressed with Nigeria’s handling of the issue but declined to mention the specific countries that made the commendation. Mr Ajumogobia further explained that the next step for Nigeria was to continue with the ongoing investigation on the issue and submit a detailed report to the UN committee later.
Friendly match controversy
Another angle to the row was the cancellation of a friendly football match between Iran and Nigeria, less than 48 hours to the kick-off. Mr Ajumogobia however denied that the cancellation by the Nigeria Football Federation had anything to do with the row over the illegal arms shipment.
“My understanding is that they had some technical problems. There were some players who were supposed to play in the friendly match that were not available” he noted adding that “I think it was just a mere coincidence; it wasn’t connected as far as I am concerned.”
A France-based shipping company CMA CGM which transported the shipment said it was hidden in containers labelled as building materials and attempts were made to send it to Gambia before the Nigerian police seized them.
The foreign envoy however said that “my view is that if a third party is laying claim to a cargo in Nigeria then they will do so properly and through the proper channels. I haven’t had such claim brought to my attention. When it is, I will deal with it appropriately. In the meantime, the security agencies are still investigating that aspect of the claim on their own. But as a Foreign Minister, I will not speculate as to who or what is claiming to anything, because under the Resolution 1929, we have clear obligation to report any arms contravention to the UN,’’ he said.
Iranian foreign minister Manouchehr Mottaki during a press briefing in Tehran on Monday also hinted that investigations had revealed that the arms shipment was destined for The Gambia.
Mr Ajumogobia noted that the seizure had brought to the fore the need for government agencies to be vigilant on resolutions and international conventions and that his ministry would ensure that other government agencies are notified about the need to enforce international sanctions.
Iran is currently under series of UN sanctions which cut across military equipment, financial transactions, business interests and travel ban on individuals associated with the Islamic republic’s nuclear programme. The country is banned from supplying, selling or transferring arms. The country however has good diplomatic relationship with Nigeria with the Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad visiting Nigeria in July where he pledged his nation’s support to help Nigeria with its nuclear technology for power generation.
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