The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) has warned the Federal Government to take seriously threats by Boko Haram insurgents and Niger-Delta militants to use biological and chemical weapons.

ECOWAS Commissioner for Political Affairs, Peace and Security Mrs. Halima Ahmed said this yesterday at the ECOWAS Secretariat in Abuja at the opening of a week-long “International workshop on Assistance and Protection Against Chemical Weapons”.

The event was organised by the National Authority on Chemical and Biological Weapons Conventions (NAC/BWC) Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (OSGF) under the auspices of the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW), Hague, Netherlands, the African Union (AU) and ECOWAS.

 

She said: “ECOWAS is committed to ensuring that chemical and biological weapons threats are not allowed with the consequences of their usage in Syria and other parts of Middle East.

“On no account should Boko Haram insurgents and Niger Delta militants be allowed to have access to chemical and biological weapons in Nigeria or other terror groups in Africa.”‎

The Permanent Secretary Political and Economic Affairs and Chairman of the NAC/BWC Office, Ambassador Olukunle Bamgbose said the event seeks to identify and bridge the gaps in the implementation of the CWC and proffer improvement and to also evolve a National Action Plan to guide and regulate the use and threat to the use of chemical weapons in Nigeria among others.

 

Meanwhile, Troops of Operation DELTA SAFE, in the Niger Delta region, have arrested the chief priest of Bayelsa Strike Force, a militant group in Cross River State.