Antonio Guterres arrives Maiduguri, Nigeria

United Nations Secretary General, Antonio Guterres has arrived Nigeria on a two-day mission with his aircraft landing at the Maiduguri International Airport. He was received on arrival by the Borno State Governor, Professor Babagana Zulum.

Guterres on his verified Twitter handle, says he has met with families displaced by the Boko Haram-ISWAP violence and climate change crisis.

He appeals to the world not to give up on the Sahel region where millions of people suffer some of the most devastating consequences crisis including hunger and displacement.

Guterres was initially scheduled to travel to the town of Banki, near the Cameroonian border, to meet victims of the Boko Haram insurgency to highlight the humanitarian crisis in the region.
Officials however say that the trip was cancelled and instead he met with victims of the conflict who are in the city of Maiduguri as well as repentant Boko Haram militants who have laid down their arms, renounced violence and surrendered to the Nigerian authorities.

Meanwhile, the UN chief is expected in Abuja on Wednesday where he will have audience with the Nigerian President, Muhammadu Buhari; Vice President Yemi Osinbajo; religious, women, youth and Private Sector leaders including the Diplomatic community.

He will also participate in a wreath-laying ceremony at the UN House in Abuja in honour of victims of the 2011 bomb blast on the 11th anniversary of the terrorist attack