United Nations (UN) Secretary General Ban Ki-Moon yesterday demanded the unconditional release of the Chibok girls.
Over 200 secondary school girls were abducted from Chibok, Borno State on April 14, 2014 by Boko Haram insurgents.
Ki-Moon spoke during a remark at the end of a meeting with President Muhammadu Buhari at the Presidential Villa.
According to him, the UN is poised to work with Nigeria to counter terrorism in the country and the continent.
He said a change being championed by this administration will also bring about positive change in the continent.
He said: “This week will witness the 500 days of the kidnapping of the Chibok schoolgirls. I want to reiterate my support for the Chibok girls and so many other innocent abducted girls and boys whose names and fate remain unknown.
“It is intolerable that their lives and schooling have been disrupted in this way. The whole world has been moved by their fate. I once again call, on the strongest possible terms, of those responsible to unconditionally release these girls and many other abducted children. I will have more to say this afternoon in my speech.”
He said that he discussed with President Buhari a full range of issues covering development, human rights, peace and security including the cause of troubling levels of violence and terror perpetuated by Boko Haram in the northeastern and the world.
Expressing solidarity with the Nigerian people and government and the affected families and victims, he said: “I express my solidarity again with the Nigerian people. The UN will work together with Nigeria to address and counter extremism and terrorism.
“Terrorism knows no boundaries and no bounds. Today, I laid a wreath in memory of the Nigerian and other victims. Now, more than ever, collaboration is indispensable in addressing these crimes.
“The president has made regional engagement efforts and I am hopeful for the rapid operationalisation of the regional task force.” He said
Noting that President Buhari in his inaugural speech recognised human rights as important part of counter insurgency response and operations, he said that the war against the terrorists should be conducted with a full respect for human rights, humanitarian and refugee law.
He also pointed out that the military approach alone will not be sufficient in the war against terrorism.
According to him, the efforts to tackle the causes of the grievances in the Northeast was also discussed with President Buhari.
He said: “President Buhari and I discussed also efforts to address root causes by tackling socio economic grievances in the northeast, in particular the need to expand educational and employment opportunities for young people.
“The recent agreement by UN member states on a due sustainable development agenda and on the Addis Ababa action agenda will provide further financing vehicles to help Nigeria achieve its agenda for change.
“The humanitarian situation in the northeast is particularly worrying. We are working with partners on the ground to scale up humanitarian operations.
“We congratulated President Buhari on the efforts to protect and uphold the rights of displaced persons.” He added
Ki-Moon commended President Buhari for prioritizing insecurity, anti-corruption and unemployment issues in the country.
He said: “My message is simple; the UN supports your efforts to advance hope, peace, sustainable development and human rights in a comprehensive way. I’m convinced that when you change Nigeria, you will also change Africa.
“Nigeria has been a source of stability in West Africa and the wider continent. You are a key contributor to UN peacekeeping operations including successful missions in Liberia and Sierra Leone.
“Nigeria is once again playing a crucial role in the UN security Council over which Amb. Joy Ogwu is now presiding this month as president of the security Council.” He said.
On 2015 Presidential election in Nigeria, he said: “I hope that this example will be emulated by many countries around the world and this message of hope that could be spread to far and wide around the world.
“Mr President, I am here at your moment of complex challenges but also time of promise and hope. I want to commend the people of Nigeria on the peaceful, free and fair elections.
“I salute the statesmanship of example of both President Buhari and for President Goodluck Jonathan. For the first time in Nigerian history, a sitting president peaceful ceded power to an opposition candidate in a democratic election.
“The elections sent a strong global message of respect for democracy and the rule of law.
“Once again Mr President and ladies and gentlemen, I am pleased to be in Nigeria and to preach the full support of the UN to advance the shared and universal call for peace, development and human rights.” He stated
President Buhari thanked the Secretary General for his depth of the appreciation of Nigeria’s problems.
He said: “It shows genuine interest and the humanitarian approach to our problems which he correctly and eloquently described in terms of security, the economy and how the international community and the UN in particular, which here are present in time to help us to solve this problems.
“We have discussed with him the difficulty time Nigeria finds itself; the destruction of infrastructure, especially in the northeast, the rehabilitation of infrastructure and the over 1.5 million internally displaced persons that have to be morally, physically and materially rehabilitated.
“And the efforts we think the UN secretary general can convey to the UN so Nigeria can be helped in the identified problems that we have.” He said
President Buhari also thanked the Secretary General for inviting him for the 27th and 28th of September’s UN general assembly meeting billed to discuss issues globally on security and economy.
“I very sincerely, on behalf of the Federal Government of Nigeria, thank the Secretary General for his visit and for identifying with our problems and for appreciating what efforts Nigeria was able to do in terms of stabilising the region and the neighboring region in the central African area where they have crisis,” he stated.
The President accepted an invitation from Ki-moon to a meeting of world leaders in New York which is expected to formulate a fresh plan of action against extremism.
A statement by the Senior Special Assistant on Media and Publicity to the President Mallam Garba Shehu, said United States President Barack Obama and French President Francois Hollande are also expected to participate in the September 28 meeting.
The meeting will, among other things, deliberate on a new United Nations draft resolution on combating extremism worldwide.
The statement reads: “Mr. Ban Ki Moon invited President Buhari to a meeting of a select group of 25 World leaders in New York on September 27 to deliberate on a global climate change agreement.”
“The Secretary-General said they were in recognition of the political will demonstrated by President Buhari in combating terror in Nigeria and dealing with environmental issues.
“Ki Moon applauded moves by the Buhari Administration to clean up Ogoniland and promised the full support of the United Nations for the exercise.
“We will find ways to complement your leadership on environmental reform. We are happy with your plans for the restoration of Ogoniland and we will see how we can help,” the UN Secretary-General assured President Buhari.
He said that the UN will welcome President Buhari’s “input and experience” in finalizing plans to introduce a new resolution against extremism at the General Assembly.
