NTC to protect Nigerians in LibyaNIGERIAhas reaffirmed its support for the Palestinian State, but did not disclose how it wouldvote on thePalestinians' request for membership of the United Nations.According to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), Nigeria's envoy to the UN and President of the Security Council for the month of October, Ambassador Joy Ogwu, disclosed this at a briefing on the programmeof the Council.Meanwhile, the Federal Government has again said it has secureda binding assurance from the government that is being formed by the National Transitional Council (NTC) in Libya to protect the lives of Nigerian nationals who chose to stay back in Libya.But not resting on any oars, Nigeria, having helped to ensure that the NTC took Libya's seat on the 28th of last month at the on-going United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) meeting, is now working in collaboration with the NTC for the stabilisation of the security situation in Libya.And to prevent a backlash of unchecked, disused and floating arms into the country, the Nigerian government has in the aftermath of the fall of the Muammar Gaddafi regime in Tripoli, stepped up collaboration, especially with its neighbours on the northern frontier - Niger and Chad - to stem the inflow or arms in the possession of fleeing mercenaries and other demobilised fighters from the Libyan conflict.These were the main disclosures made by the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Olugbenga Ashiru, yesterday afternoon in Abuja before the House of Representatives Committee on Foreign Relations at committee hearing 327. He told the inquiring committee members that a high powered Federal Government delegation which left Nigeria on Tuesday had by yesterday secured the strongest diplomatic assurance from the NTC to protect Nigerians still in Libya.Specifically, the committee chaired by Nnenna Ukeje-Elendu sought to know the evacuation plans of Nigerians still in Libya and the level of coordination between the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the NTC.The committee members stated yesterday that Nigerians were worried that while the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (NATO) campaign to protect civilians from being cracked down was mandated by theUnited Nations (UN), the same UN is not 'advising NTC soldiers to stop killing black people including Nigerians.'Responding to journalists' questionin New York on how Nigeria wouldvote on the Palestinians' request for UN membership, Ogwu said: 'We will cross the bridge when we get to the bridge. Nigeria is unequivocal in its support of Palestine State. How we vote is a decision of the Nigerian government and it is the responsibility of Nigeria; but I want to assure you that we will approach this issue and this problem with the greatest sense of duty and responsibility,' she added.According to her,Nigeria supports a two-state solution to the crisis, adding that 'Nigeria will be and continue to be a peaceful arbiter on the question in the Middle East; we want and do advocate peace in the end,' she said.
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