Ban Ki-moon arrives Nigeria

United Nations Secretary General, Ban Ki-moon, yesterday arrived Nigeria to commemorate the bombing of UN’s headquarters by Islamist sect, Boko Haram and also to focus new attention on over 200 schoolgirls kidnapped in Chibok, Borno State by the ruthless extremists.

Ki-moon will meet with President Muhammadu Buhari today, amid plans to launch a long-delayed regional offensive against the Islamic insurgents who have since pledged allegiance to the Islamic State.

Ban also will meet the Bring Back Our Girls group which demands government action to free 219 abducted schoolgirls held now for nearly 500 days.

The visit is Ki-Moon’s second since taking office in 2007. He last visited Nigeria in May 2011 to discuss the crises in Southern Sudan and Libya with then President Goodluck Jonathan.

An itinerary released by the UN Information Centre, Lagos, said during the visit, he is also scheduled to hold talks with state governors.

The dialogue with the governors, the itinerary showed, will hold under the theme: `Pathways to a New Nigeria – the Role of Sub-national Governments.’

Ki-Moon would later in the day have lunch with members of the business community.

The lunch time conversation will be on: ‘The role of Nigeria business and the economy in implementing the Sustainable Development Goals and addressing climate change’.

He is also billed to take part in series of activities, including a visit to immunisation centres and a dialogue on democracy, human rights and countering violent extremism, before departing Nigeria later today.