Nigeria votes for No-Fly zone in Libya

The Nigerian Mission to the United Nations (UN) has explained that the actions of Libyan authorities to violate the terms of the resolution and fundamental principles of international law informed its vote for the no-fly zone over Libya.

The United Nations Security Council had onThursday evening approved a draft resolution calling for a no-fly zone over Libya to assist rebels.

The draft resolution passed with 10 votes in favor and none opposed.

Five countries, including China, Russia, Germany and Brazil, abstained from voting on the issue.

Addressing the Security Council's debate in New York on the situation in Libya, the Nigeria's Permanent Representative to the UN, Ambassador Joy Ogwu said that the resolution being adopted was necessitated by the persistently grave and dire situation in Libya.

"Notwithstanding the clear expression of our common will and the comprehensive measures instituted under Resolution 1970, the Libyan authorities have continued to violate the terms of the resolution and fundamental principles of international law," She said.

Professor Joy Ogwu added that the current state of affairs leaves an indelible imprint on the conscience and moves the Nigerian government to act, adding that the magnitude of this humanitarian disaster is, indeed, what compelled Nigeria to vote in favour of this resolution.

She further noted that Nigeria's persistent calls for peace are rooted in the need to ensure the safety, dignity and availability of humanitarian assistance for a population in need, many of whom are Nigerian nationals.

She also noted that the emphasis of the resolution on the protection of civilians under threat of attack and the provisions for humanitarian assistance do much to address these concerns.

Saying that the League of Arab States and the African Union (AU) have spoken with one voice in condemnation of the situation in Libya, and rightly so as the crisis is one of regional import, the Nigerian top envoy stressed that Nigeria, as a member of the security council and a member of the AU maintains that foreign occupation is not an option to secure peace in Libya.

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