UN Security Council to visit Nigeria amid growing insecurity

As the security situation in Nigeria gets worse by the day the UN Security Council has scheduled a visit to Nigeria within the next few weeks to discuss strategies for combating the destructive Boko Haram insurgents and  assess the level of humanitarian crisis caused by the terrorist group.

The UN also said in Abuja, yesterday, that it was working towards ending the activities of Boko Haram insurgency in the North-East by August 2018.

Deputy spokesperson for UN Secretary-General, Mr Farhan Haq, confirmed to the News Agency of Nigeria in New York that the visit would take place in March.

Haq regretted the negative consequences of the insurgency on the country and the people but gave the assurance that the UN would continue to support Nigeria in this unfortunate situation and work with the country in its efforts to overcome the challenges.

He said: “There will be efforts to also evaluate what the situation (Boko Haram) is. I believe, in the coming days, the Security Council itself does intend to visit Nigeria and see for itself the humanitarian situation and evaluate it first-hand.

“The Security Council will be going to Nigeria to assess the humanitarian situation caused by Boko Haram.  The visit will be coming up in March.”

Meanwhile, UN Resident and Humanitarian Coordinator in Nigeria, Edward Kallon, said at a breakfast meeting in Abuja, yesterday, that insurgency in the North-East would be over in the next 18 months.

Kallon, who described the crisis as the fourth largest in the world, said challenges confronting Nigeria were enormous, ranging from security to governance and economy.