The management of Ahmadu Bello University (ABU) in Zaria has officially refuted claims suggesting that some of its scientists were involved in a clandestine nuclear weapons program in Nigeria. In a statement released to BusinessDay on Monday, Auwalu Umar, the university”s director of public affairs, characterized these allegations as unfounded, originating from an artificial intelligence-generated video being disseminated by unknown individuals on social media.
The controversial video falsely asserted that unnamed sources had claimed Nigerian scientists at ABU had enriched weapons-grade uranium during the 1980s, allegedly with assistance from Pakistan”s AQ Khan Network. Umar condemned these claims as “false, reckless, and dangerous,” reiterating Nigeria”s longstanding commitment to the peaceful application of nuclear science in adherence to international treaties.
Umar further clarified that many scientists affiliated with ABU”s Centre for Energy Research and Training (CERT) were training abroad during the relevant period and could not have engaged in any uranium enrichment activities. “Neither Nigeria nor ABU has any connection with the AQ Khan Network or any nuclear weapons program,” the statement emphasized.
Additionally, the university provided context regarding its nuclear capabilities, noting that the only operational nuclear facility at the time was a 14 MeV Neutron Generator, which was commissioned in 1988. The Nigeria Research Reactor-1 (NIRR-1) project commenced in 1996 under the auspices of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) Technical Cooperation Programme, and the reactor was commissioned in 2004. Initially utilizing highly enriched uranium, the NIRR-1 reactor was converted to low enriched uranium in 2018 as part of the Global Threat Reduction Initiative.
The university stressed that all its nuclear research activities are conducted transparently and under international supervision, reaffirming that Nigeria does not operate any uranium enrichment facilities or fuel fabrication plants.
In its statement, ABU traced Nigeria”s nuclear history, noting that the country became a member of the IAEA in 1964, signed the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty in 1968, and continues to uphold its commitment as a signatory to the 2009 Pelindaba Treaty, which bans nuclear weapons in Africa. The university reaffirmed its dedication to the peaceful use of nuclear science across various sectors, including medicine, agriculture, and energy research, consistent with its founding principles and Nigeria”s national atomic energy policy.
