United Nations: In the wake of recent abduction of over 200 schoolgirls in Nigeria, the UN chief today offered to send a high-level envoy to the country to discuss ways in which the world body can support them in tackling internal challenges.
UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon spoke with Nigeria`s President Goodluck Jonathan and expressed his solidarity with the abducted girls` families, Ban`s spokesperson said.
Jonathan briefed the Secretary-General on the current state of the search for the 230 girls, who were violently abducted from their school in Borno state in mid-April by Boko Haram militants.
"The President accepted the Secretary-General`s offer to send a high-level representative to Nigeria to discuss how the UN can better support the government`s efforts to tackle the internal challenges," the statement said.
In a separate statement, Ban said he shared the anguish of the families of the girls and the people of Nigeria at this "traumatic" time.
"The Secretary-General reiterates that the targeting of children and schools is against international law and cannot be justified under any circumstances," it said.
Boko Haram, whose name stands for "Western education is a sin," has been attacking schools, police, religious leaders, politicians, public and international institutions, indiscriminately killing civilians, including dozens of children in the recent years.
