Contrary to claims by the Nigerian presidency that a meeting at the 70th United Nations General Assembly to discuss the humanitarian crisis posed by the activities of the Boko Haram terrorist group was unofficial, PREMIUM TIMES can authoritatively report today that the meeting is a “high-level” one convened as one of the most important events of the ongoing United Nations annual summit in New York.

The meeting tagged “High Level Event on the Lake Chad Basin” held Friday at the Conference Room 1 of the United Nations headquarters in New York.

It was convened by Stephen O’Brien, the United Nations Under-Secretary-General of Humanitarian Affairs and held as part of the of the UN Sustainable Development Summit, which opened Friday.

“The Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs, OCHA, is an arm of the United Nations secretariat and a meeting organised by it on an issue threatening Nigeria’s existence cannot be described as unofficial,” said a respected Nigerian diplomat who requested not to be named so as not to anger the Muhammadu Buhari administration.

The diplomat believes President Buhari should request Nigeria’s Permanent Representative to the United Nations, Joy Ogwu, to explain why her office failed to identify the meeting as one of the key ones Nigeria should have attended at the ongoing summit.

“This is definitely a diplomatic blunder,” the diplomat said. “It portrayed us as an unserious country and the President should bring culpable officials to book rather than offer tepid excuses.”

Reuters was first to report the Nigeria’s non attendance at the meeting convened to principally discuss an issue affecting Nigeria the most.

“But while the radical Islamist militants operate out of Nigeria and U.N. aid chief Stephen O’Brien said that is where most people have been displaced by their attacks, Nigeria did not send anyone to the United Nations event,” Reuters reported. “U.S. and European Union diplomats said they were disappointed that Nigeria did not attend the event chaired by O’Brien on the sidelines of the U.N. General Assembly.”

The Nigerian presidency, in a statement Saturday, however, claimed that “The meeting at which Nigeria was reportedly absent was not one of the official events of the United Nations for which President Muhammadu Buhari and his modest delegation are in New York”.

But contrary to attempts by the government to downplay the importance of the meeting and portray it as low level engagement, organisers and diplomats say the gathering was one of the most important meetings concerning the destructive militancy and terrorism ravaging Nigeria and its neighbours.

Aside top UN and EU officials, as well as heads of international nongovernmental organisations who participated, the meeting was also attended by the Prime Minister of Niger, Brigi Rafini and Chad’s Foreign Minister, Moussa Faki Mahamat.

A brochure of the meeting listed “High level representation from the government of Nigeria” among the panelists expected to speak at the meeting.

Due to its importance, the meeting was also broadcast on official UN online television and radio channels.

At the meeting, the UN Emergency Relief Coordinator, Mr. O’Brien reminded the world to pay attention to the Lake Chad Basin, now an epicentre of “violence and terror” where children as young as six-years old have been used as suicide bombers and the scene of the fastest-growing displacement crisis in Africa.

“A quarter of a million people have fled across borders,” told the high-level meeting. “Many have walked hundreds of kilometres from Nigeria to Cameroon, Chad and Niger, in the most appalling conditions.”

Mr. O’Brien, appealed to countries in the region to give relief workers access to those in need and also called for urgent financial contributions to the under-funded operations.

“If we disregard the huge scale of humanitarian needs, we could all pay a high price,” he said.

Describing the people in the Lake Chad Basin, which straddles Nigeria, Cameroon, Chad and Niger, as “some of the poorest and most resilient in the world,” the top UN humanitarian official said “now the region has also become an epicentre of violence and terror.”

“The emergence of Boko Haram has pushed them over the edge,” he said. “Over the past five months, a sharp increase in attacks by Boko Haram has uprooted 500,000 children, bringing the total number of children on the run in northeast Nigeria and neighbouring countries to over 1.4 million.”

He described the “appalling impact on women and children, who are being abducted, abused, raped, exploited, trafficked, and forced to work as porters and lookouts,” and “children as young as six years old have been used as suicide bombers.”

“With so many other humanitarian crises on the international agenda, we hear relatively little about the horrors taking place in the Lake Chad Basin,” he said. “And yet this is the scene of the fastest-growing displacement crisis in Africa, with 2.3 million people forced from their homes since May 2013.”

Mr. O’Brien warned that the future of the region, where business activity is reportedly down by 80 percent, “looks even bleaker, as farmers are unable to tend their fields and trade in some areas is at a standstill.”

UN agencies like the World Food Programme, the UN refugee agency and the UN Children’s Programme (UNICEF) echoed Mr. O’Brien in presenting a grim humanitarian picture of the region and appealing for greater international support to their efforts to reach those in desperate need.

As a fallout of the meeting the Nigerian government dismissed as “unofficial”, the United States announced $6.8 million in funding for regional aid efforts....


http://www.premiumtimesng.com/news/190652-fact-check-nigerian-govt-lied-un-meeting-it-failed-to-attend-not-unofficial.html

morning...

Protocols are protocols, u don't break them anyhow. If this wasn't on the schedule, you wouldn't blame The Nigerian Government for not attending. This reminds me of one of the events that led to quarrel between Mrs. Jonathan and Fmr. Rivers State Governor.

Some zombies were busy insulting themselves yesterday that the meeting was unofficial and as such was unnecessary.


Truth can only be suspended but can never be truncated.

Obviously presidency LIED because the meeting was convened by the appropriate & proper arm of the united nations & other countries involved was there and Nigeria being the principal & most affected country must have been the first to be formally informed.

If it was an NGO, then the presidency can make excuses, but the proper UN arm did.

When will APC stop lying?

Choi..

How can a meeting convened in the UN by diplomats be considered unofficial?

That aside, I expect the Nigerian govt to give credibility and weight to any diplomatic "unofficial" meeting regarding the plight of IDPs serious attention.

This just goes to show that Buhari and his 21 man entourage just went on a tourist instagram photo spree

This Govt is totally out of touch with reality on how to run a nation in the 21st century!

nationwide1:
Some zombies were busy insulting themselves yesterday that the meeting was unofficial and as such was unnecessary.


Truth can only be suspended but can never be truncated.

hehehehe you dey mind them. Even if the meeting was not official the agenda was ur problem why miss out... Mtchwww I Still believe say RAT DON PISS FOR THEIR BRAIN

Bla Bla Bla i don't know what to type

seacoast:
hehehehe you dey mind them. Even if the meeting was not official the agenda was ur problem why miss out... Mtchwww I Still believe say RAT DON PISS FOR THEIR BRAIN

How can a meeting convened within the UN with high level diplomats from several countries with UN representatives fully represented by deemed "unofficial"?

DaBullIT:
Bla Bla Bla i don't know what to type

Fool

Then stop spamming this thread as you oft do on this board with your autism.

PappyMason:


How can a meeting convened within the UN with high level diplomats from several countries with UN representatives fully presented by deemed "unofficial"?

you they mind them.. All motion no action

The Lies of the lying liars have gone international

APC supporter's are the most pathetic party follower I hve seen in dis country so far,they will jump out 2 defend even the most silliest excuse this presnt government will give...I cry for ma con3

Propaganda government.

They don't even report the incessant bombings that has been worse of in the last two weeks, so as to portray this government as a working and efficient government.

But guess what? As they hide all this bombings happening everyday in the north, the question is: who does it affect? It is still the same northerners that are being bombed and killed everyday and they think they are doing them good hiding the everyday killings.

Anyway, wetin concern me, if they like the report the Boko harm bombings, if they like, let them don't report, I just hope we don't wake up one morning in this country and here that Borno state as a whole is no more existent. I guess the Media is doing Borno state and North in general good by not reporting recent Boko Haram bombings.

Besides, please where is Oby-Ezekwesili? Anyone knows about where is this woman is now?

DaBullIT:
Bla Bla Bla i don't know what to type

ode u won't no what to type .... abeg gerrara hai

What do u expect Nigeria?

A president that can't pronounce the name of his vp,
Calls out non existing west garmany; to know What is and What is not official?

Younger years' almajiri food have a way of blocking d logical reasoning faculty at old age!

Daddy must be really proud of ya

PappyMason:



Fool

Then stop spamming this thread as you oft do on this board with your autism.

Must you insult to make your point ? when i reply in kind , people will start complaining

mexzzy47:



ode u won't no what to type .... abeg gerrara hai

DaBullIT:
Daddy must be really proud of ya

You want to distract from the topic at hand abi?

Ok.

Where is your father? Bastard

Omenka will come here now and call it ' PDP Propaganda'.... What a C.H.O.D.E!

Abeg is lying not kworoption?

PappyMason:



You want to distract from the topic at hand abi?

Ok.

Where is your father? Bastard

u dey mind that Capital FOOL.... they won't say any meaning full tin other than take ur attention from the said topic.....

Truth of the matter:

The Nigerian govt.of today is not able to identify official and unofficial functions, crucial and non-crucial meeting.

By claiming that a meeting convened by a legitimate arm of UN "was not one the official events of the United Nations for which President Muhammadu Buhari and his modest delegation are in New York", Bujari govt has exposed itself and it's inability to place the right level of priority on basic issues of governance and challenges facing the nation.

Link this to absolute lack of interest in economic policy for which investors are deserting Nigeria. Also link it to the aimless US diplomatic visit.

Believe me guys, we are in for a long ride

PRYCE:
Omenka will come here now and call it ' PDP Propaganda'.... What a C.H.O.D.E!

Dickhead, I've noticed you.

I thought the Children of anger insist PT is Tinubu's propaganda media.. What shameless fools.

Wailers rant as usual

omenka:
Dickhead, I've noticed you.

I thought the Children of anger insist PT is Tinubu's propaganda media.. What shameless fools.

Oh the Nitwit has eyes! Great... next Up, Get some brains!


Back to your comment... One can only take them seriously when they burst their pay master's bubble... An "intelligent" guy like you should know that!

Sex Tool, Vibrattor, Masturbator!


People like this guy are the reason why there should be a distinction between the words "common" and "sense". These words shouldn't be used together at all!

frnt page pls lalasticlala ishilove

Only God knows if the change they are shouting sef no be lie.

Hm

I know the Wailers will be so Happy to attack now.