The dumping of small arms and light weapons in Africa by Western countries is retarding socioeconomic and political development of the continent by fuelling conflict, Goodluck Jonathan told dignitaries at the just concluded United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) in New York.

Mr Jonathan, who addressed the 65th session of the UN, also said the continuous exclusion of Africa from the permanent membership of the UN Security Council can no longer be justified. He called for the adoption of preventive diplomacy by the UN for the management of international conflicts, as a replacement for the current use of force through peacekeeping operations, which have become very expensive to maintain.

He also urged the international body to review the “rules of engagements” in all its ongoing peacekeeping operations across the world in order to avoid or substantially reduce the death of UN soldiers during such operations. “Nigeria calls on the UN to take firm action towards the control of the proliferation of small arms and light weapons, by adopting an arms trade treaty,” he said. “It is estimated that about 100 million of these weapons are in sub-Saharan Africa alone. This have been identified as falling in the categories of weapons that are actually killing more people in the African continent than have been killed by any other type of weapons. However, like nuclear, chemical and biological weapons, there are no global treaties or legally binding instruments for dealing with the challenges of small arms and light weapons.”

Praise for ECOWAS

Mr Jonathan said the proliferation of these arms encourages the culture of impunity, trans-border crime, armed robbery, piracy, kidnapping, raping of innocent women and retardation of economic growth, “because no one will want to invest in a nation or a region that is crisis prone.” He praised the ECOWAS and the “substantial progress” it has made in bringing peace and stability to countries in the community that, until recently, were embroiled in political crisis.

“We will still continue to build on these achievements to consolidate stability and engender prosperity in the sub-region,” he said. “The need for the UN to provide leadership in addressing problems and challenges of a global nature is imperative. We urge the UN to quicken the pace of its reforms, not only to better reflect current global realities, but also to ensure that it enjoys genuine legitimacy.”

http://234next.com/csp/cms/sites/Next/News/National/5623660-146/jonathan_asks_un_to_combat_small.csp

Mr President, I admire your courage but I think charity begins at home. If the Nigerian borders were not porous, these arms would not find their way in. The Nigerian customs should be held accountable for some of these arms that find their way in illegally. It may also interest you to know that there are illegal arms manufacturing camps in places like Aba-ala near Aba in Abia state which is right under your nose. On the overall, it is a good thing you mentioned it before a small armed crisis starts in this part of Africa.

^^You're right. The "Good boys" (an ironic euphemism for kidnappers in Aba) get their weapons there. The guys in Abala mould amazing weapons, they only need to see it.

I don't take too much to conspiracy theories but am sure has paradise the western countries would turn away when such exports are being made.
but if our borders are secure then no illegal weapon can come in.
but overall its a really good thing he mentioned it @ UN.

african cap has appeared in UN meeting great achievement

Africa needs that permanent seat in UN asap.

use of illegal weapon is bad. And noone should use illegal weapon. or import illegal weapon to nigeria.
It is hard to ban weapon in Nigeria because the source of living of many nigerian is through hunting. It is important to note that about 3,000,000  Yoruba people are hunters and do own a gun. It is just like the cowboy in texas. they teach thier children to hunt. The Yoruba also make guns locally for hunting.  So it becomes very difficult to solve.

The issue of illegal use of arms by illegal bodies like MEND,boro haram and others in nigeria is based on injustice by northerner to the south. I am not scared to say it. That past northerner leaders of nigeria were bias in leadership , which developed into hate. Imagine the death of ken saro wiwa and others.  or the case of MKO Abiola and others. But like most nigeria newpapers say , most of MEND weapon have come from the nigeria army who come from this area , even including northerners in the case of boro haram.

Even 90% of southerner do not believe the south most give power back to the north. I am confident of 90% because most southerners do not believe if the north get power back, that it would return it back to the south.  Since we now have the satellite pictures it even make it more difficult to return power back to the north. Even if you base it on history with a 95% probability accuracy, if the north get back power, it would never return back to the south. When I mean never, I really mean never return back to the south. This is one of the major problem. even nuhu ribadu would not return power back. I am sure of this. The north would not give back power. I am sure of this. You would remember the power change to Jonathan , how difficult that was.

Like I have said time and time again, instead of Jonathan going to the united nation to seek help. Jonathan went there to talk about arm. My God. What is he thinking about. The issue is in a free and fair election he would not win.  and there is no way, they can conduct free and fair election. And no leader want to been given the boot out of power. Even if Jonathan decided to step down. The south would never agree to hand over power to the north. The  south would not agree for him to hand over to the vice president or Who do they want to hand over power to IBB.? I am telling you, it is the start of a civil war in Nigeria.



But still the best option is till to go the united nation and apply for a united nation seat. I am telling you it is possible. All they need to do is sit the secretary general of the united nation down and tell them our problem. The USSR was broken into several countries and all of them applied to the united nation and were accepted by the united nation.

It would be unfair to Nigeria if the united nation do not accept the application. White people are not what you people think.

look 95% of nigerian have never been to bauchi state before in thier life. please quote me 95%.   95% of nigerian have never been to sokoto state before.   95% of nigerian have never been to borno state before.   95% of nigerian have never been to Jigawa state before.   95% of nigerian have never been to Enugu state before.   95% of nigerian have never been to cross river or Ebonyi state before.  They would not miss anything. It would look like nothing ever happen to them.

I know it is a hard decision for nigeria. But it is better to make long distance call to a friend in the north than wish him dead in a civil war. I would rather see 15,000,000 nigerian alive than wanting them dead. Dead people dont have a country.

It is important to note , that the average Yorubaman can not do without a gun in Nigeria because guns are part of the Yoruba culture,history,occupation religion and tradition. It is impossible to separate a Yorubaman from his guns. Even in Yoruba film and movies, guns are featured  in 60% of the films made.  The Yorubaman needs his gun to survive in the jungle he lives. 90% of Yoruba farmers own a gun to hunting. And it is under estimation saying we have 3,000,000 guns with Yorubas alone. It could be close to 5,000,000 guns over many years. it is also use as a form of  initiation into manhood. Asking the Yorubas to hand over thier guns, is like asking the Ijaw to handover his canoe or boat.

We are not like northerner who have cattle. Cattle have health problem on ourside of the country. So the Yorubas need the guns to provide for thier families. And would not hand over the guns to the government of Nigeria. It would be calling for a civil war, if the nigeria government ask Yorubas to handover thier guns which is used to provide for thier families.

This should tell you, the danger nigeria face at the moment. Please pick up a Yoruba film anywhere in the world even in new york,london or toronto etc  to verify this information.

We have a problem and we need united nations help. Jonathan should have been on his kneel shouting ""for tamuno(ijaw word for God) sake can you people at the united nation help us."" Nigeria needs help. we need an extra seat at the united nation. So bad.

The first step in a country losing its freedoms is when its citizens have to rely on the government for protection and defense.Go ahead imitate the British,confisticate guns and watch how crime will increase, remember criminals dont turn in guns, only good cictizens do.so ask yourself what happens next.

The issue is the north wanting power. And the only solution is for the north becomes a country. which is possible.
But the problem of the north would be revenue from oil. and access to the sea.  Which we would solve by agreement at the united nation. But Jonathan does not want to sign sure agreement because Jonathan is an ijaw man. the ijaw tend to believe they own the altantic ocean where the oil comes from. And an open border agreement with the south solve this problem.

This is where our problem. I would sign sure an agreement at the united nation to share nigeria oil wealth with the north, which jonathan does not want to. You see this way it give the north a seat at the united nation. [size=18pt]The smallest country in the world has a population of 770[/size]

by signing the oil deal with the north, the north can have revenue. I believe it is God that owns the Oil. Oil is a gift of God. And not someone properties.

You're really getting out of hand with this your [b]Batu[/b]ology.

WELL SPKOEN MY DEAR PRESDENT.MORE VERCELINE TO UT JOINTS

Start with Aba. . . .

See this picture, this young man does not live in zoo in Yorubaland. it lives in the back of your house. Yoruba people do not have time to call Jonathan Goodluck or animal control. There is no Animal control in Yorubaland. Boys and Women take shoot at our friend in this picture, not to talk of men.
Yoruba people dont normally visit zoo to see our friend below, they live in zoo. And it has no regulated time for food. And it love the smell of human blood. Yoruba people are not ready to see thier legs inside this young man. That is why Yoruba people have guns in nigeria because of animals.
Yoruba people dont like running away from this young man, they prefer running toward him.

Today is really a day of weird, mad posts and threads.

politician looks for ways to take arms from them to rig.

But the issue is. even if they get away with it, the nigeria military would overthrow them.  It takes one man to save a nation. And it takes one man to destroy a nation and save millions of lifes.

The only thing, we would be asking all nigerian to do is to fast and pray , that SOME PEOPLE SELFISHNESS would not lead to the death of 15,000,000 people. And the wholeworld should hold every member of the  PDP and  GREEDY nigeria businessmen  responsible if Jonathan Goodluck refuse to go to the united nation and ask for a second seat for the north, and If he refuse to share the oil revenue with the north. The blood of everybody who may die, should be in the hands of every member of the  PDP and every member of the  the senate and national assembly and all GREEDY nigeria businessmen and nigeria newspapers, 


as many nigerian who have seen the satellite pictures  should please call President Jimmy Carter at (01) 404 4205100 for help.

as long as injustice continue in nigeria, nigerian would result to violent , which increase arms Proliferation . injustice breed arms Proliferation . any nation like nigeria where the govt over look justice and prefer injustice to people arms Proliferation would increase in that country.

as many nigerian who have seen the satellite pictures should please call President Jimmy Carter at (01) 404 4205100 for help.