•UN sets up committee to investigate ‘international violation’Peter Babs Imade, New YorkFOR the Iranian Foreign Minister, Manouchehr Mottaki, the issue ofan alleged arms shipment in 13 containers and intercepted in Nigeria was a “misunderstanding” that had been settled.week, said it would take action against Iran if an investigation showed it violated international law and U.N. sanctions.But Mottaki said that an Iranian implicated in the case had explained the situation to the Nigerian authorities.“I think the misunderstandings have been settled in this field,” the Iranian minister said.Mottaki, who visited Lagos last week, also said that he had replaced Iran’s ambassador to Nigeria. He did not, however, confirm whether the replacement had anything to do with the weapons case.The Iranian minister did not also elaborate on the nature of the misunderstanding or how it wasresolved.His statement was the highest-level Iranian comment so far on the case.Towards the end of last month, the then Ambassador of Iran to Nigeria, Hussein Abdullahi, said there was no clear evidence linking his country to the shipment.There was no immediate reaction from Nigerian officials to Mottaki’s claim that the case had been resolved.An international shipping company based in France - CMA CGM - said it had picked up the containers in which the containers in which the weapons were hidden in the Southern Iranian Port of Bandar Abbas.The shipment had a stop-over in Mumbai, India, before heading toLagos.Last Friday, Ajumogobia said Iranian officials had confirmed the consignment originated in their home country.During his visit, Mottaki cleared the way for Nigerian security officials to interview one of two officials to interview one of two Iranians who allegedly organisedthe shipment, Ajumogobia said.He informed that the two Iraniansuspects had taken refuge in theIranian Embassy.The interception of the weaponshad drawn sharp criticism of Iran from the Federal Government.In a 2007 resolution stepping upsanctions on Iran over its nuclear programme, the U.N. Security Council banned Iranian arms exports, forbidding the saleor supply of weapons by Iran, whether directly or indirectly.It urged nations to prevent any such transfers and prevent their citizens from obtaining any weapons from Iran.However, Mottaki yesterday depicted the tensions as eased.According to him, he and his Nigerian counterpart had held talks on bilateral relations and that Ajumogobia would visit Tehran.Mottaki said the appointment of a new ambassador to Nigeria would “create new opportunities for cooperation between the two countries.”The controversial Iranian shipment is now fully a United Nations Security Council matter as the world body yesterday formally named a panel of experts to investigate all matters related to the violation of UN Security Council resolutions prescribing sanctions againstresolution the seriousness it deserves.Among the names of experts that the Secretary-General pickedas experts is that of a Nigerian retired military officer Major-General Ishola Williams.In the Secretary-General memo to the Council on the panel, he said: “I have the honour to refer to Security Council resolution 1929 (2010), by which the Council requested me to create, for an initial period of one year, following experts: Mr. Jonathan Brewer (United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland); Mr. Kenichiro Matsubayashi (Japan); Ms. Jacqueline W. Shire (United Statesof America); Ms. Elena G. Vodopolova (Russian Federation); Mr. Christof Wegner (Germany); Mr. Olasehinde Ishola Williams (Nigeria); Mr. Wenlei Xu (Peoples Republic of China); Ms. Salomé Zourabichvili (France).I have designated Ms. Zourabichvili to serve as Coordinator of the Panel of Experts.“I should be grateful if you would bring this information to the attention of the members of the Security Council.”The panel is a strong indication that the Iranian controversial shipment to Nigeria is no longer merely an issue between Nigeria and Iran. It is now a Security Council issue, UN sources say.information from States, relevantUnited Nations bodies and other interestedparties regarding the implementation of the measures decided in resolutions 1737 (2006), 1747 (2007), 1803 (2008) and this resolution, in particular incidents of non-compliance;(c) make recommendations on actions the Council, or theCommittee or State, may considerto improve implementation of to improve implementation of the relevant measures; and(d) provide to the Council an interim report on its work no later than 90 days after the Panel’s appointment, and a final report to the Council no later than 30 days prior to the termination of its mandate with its findings and recommendations.

Something must be done urgent, Nigeria is not Pakistan or Palestine, the question is, who is responsible for those deadly weapons in Nigeria?