Delta CSOs, NGOs Urge FG To Domesticate Treaty On Autonomous Weapons

By Oghenero Eghweree

The Coalition of the Stop Killer Robots Campaign in Nigeria, and the Noble Delta Women for Peace and Development International, have called on the federal government to support the global effort towards a treaty on autonomous weapons.

They made the call in Ozoro, in Isoko North local government area of Delta state, at a Stakeholders Engagement on the Call for a Ban on Fully Autonomous Weapons Campaign tagged: Stop Killer Robots.

Speaking, the Executive Director Noble Delta Women for Peace and Development International, Amb. Caroline Usipkedo-Oliseowe, said although Nigeria was not a producer of autonomous weapons systems, yet she was not exempted from the danger to humanity posed by what the group termed: “killer robots”.

Mrs. Oliseowe, was of the view that the global treaty on autonomous weapons would address the threats by the rising production and use of autonomous weapons systems by developed nations.

She added: “The campaign is saying that leaving the life of humans for a machine to decide is not good, when there is a treaty, it would guide countries.”

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A representative from the Network for Research Organization Ayo Okotie, who spoke on the topic: “Awareness on Stop Killer Robots Campaign,” made observations on the negative aspects of the lack of regulation on the production of unmanned aerial vehicles like drones .

She said: “If there are no laws to checkmate the distribution of these killer robots, if it gets to the hand of these terrorists here, because we actually don’t have any law against that in Nigeria for now.”

An IT Consultant Oghenekido Oju, highlighted ethical issues associated with the use of modern weapons.

“They fly on their own under the guidance of special computer systems. You can arm them with warheads, bombs.

“Now, that is a good technology if they decide to use it in other productive area, for example firefighting,” she said.

President of Civil Society Coalition in Delta State Dr. Martins Kedienhon, called on policy makers and the national Assembly to add their voice to the global effort to Stop Killer Robots.