By Levinus Nwabughiogu & Victoria Ojeme

ABUJA—THE United Nation Secretary-General, Mr Ban Ki-Moon has attributed the growing global terrorism to bad governance, mismanagement and injustice by political leaders around the world.

He spoke at a dialogue on democracy, Human Right, Development, Climate Change and Countering Violence Extremism, in Abuja, yesterday.

The UN scribe pointed out that most terrorists resort to extremism out of a feeling of deep frustration and hopelessness.

Muhammadu-Buhari- and Mr. Ban Ki-Moon

His words: “Why this insecurity and extremism has been able to take root among the people? I think that comes from mismanagement, bad governance, injustice . When you are absolutely in despair, when you  have absolutely no hope for your own future, when the leaders do not care about their own people on inclusive governance, the people find some other means.

“Leaders have not been paying attention, they are not speaking with the people. That makes  extremism to take the root. We have to prevent this. That is why I highly commend President Buhari. In his inaugural speech he said he will get rid of inequality, and he will get rid of corruption and run an inclusive government.”

Mr Ban who said that no country can tackle terrorism alone, called for global co-operation to end the menace.

“No country can tackle this kind of threat alone; however powerful or resourceful, one country cannot, the Europeans or Americans cannot do it alone, all hands must be on deck. This is what I have to say. I hope that this meeting will be of great opportunity for respective ambassadors and all the representatives of the Nigeria society. we have a common fight, a sense of unity; purpose of unity that we are one, we are one human being.

“As Secretary-General of the United Nations, I am appealing to you to also work with your government, work with your people. Let us work together and make this world better for all.”

On sustainable development, UN Secretary-General said the initiative is to take care of all spectrum of the society with the main purpose of eliminating poverty by 2030.

Apart from eliminating poverty, the UN scribe also declared that there should be gender parity by the same year 2030.

Speaking on climate change, he said that the world may be in danger as those who are supposed to take action have been abusing their prerogatives, warning that, “human race does not have any other planet apart from the earth, hence the need to protect it.”

He also noted that sustainable development goals will be seriously hampered and destroyed unless the issue of climate change is addressed.

For Vice President Prof Yemi Osinbajo, ethnicity and religion, poverty and illiteracy all contribute to the current situation of extremism in the country,

His words, “In a democratic country like Nigeria, we have 110 million people extremely poor and illiterate and do not have voice.

“Government must look into providing jobs and security for its people.

Nigeria must eliminate radical terrorist groups so that they do not keep destroying innocent people.”

On climate change, he said Nigeria will join the rest of the world in tackling the menace.

Also speaking, the Sultan of Sokoto, Alhaji Sa’ad Abubarkar III called on the United Nations to assist the Federal Government in recovering stolen funds back to the country.

He also blamed world leaders for not taking action to check the activities of the Boko Haram sect before it degenerated .

His words: “How can you use your office to bring back all the stolen money? Please help us to bring back our money so that Nigeria can utilize these monies.”

In a similar vein, John Cardinal  Onaiyekan , Catholic Archbishop of Abuja who spoke on climate change said, “We must recognize the deep social consequences of climate change.

“As we look around us in Nigeria, we now know that when we experience unusual extremes of weather conditions, desertification, flood, and drought, the ‘Gods are not to blame’, but rather the reckless activities of our greedy fellow earth tenants far away from us,” he said.

UN Chief calls for release of Chibok schoolgirls

Meanwhile, the UN Secretary General has also called for the unconditional release of the abducted Chibok schoolgirls.

It will be recalled that the girls were abducted from their school in Chibok community, Borno State on April 14, 2014.

Addressing State House Correspondents after meeting President Muhammadu Buhari at the Presidential Villa in Abuja on Monday, Mr. Ban Ki-Moon stated that the world shared the fate of the abducted school children.

He described as intolerable the abduction of the school girls which he said has disrupted their eduction.

He said: “I expresse my solidarity again with the Nigerian people so that United Nations will work together to address the issues of extremism and terrorism. This week marks the 500 days of the kidnap of the Chibok girls. 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 with the strongest terms on those responsible to unconditionally release these girls and many other abducted children.”

The UN scribe hailed the administration of president Mohammadu Buhari for evolving a strategic plan at annihilating the insurgents in Nigeria also called for collaboration of forces amongst the countries of the world in fighting terrorism.

He pledged the support of the world body to stamp out the insurgents.

“Terrorism knows no boundary and no bounds. Today, I lay the wreath in memory of Nigerians and other victims. More than ever, collaboration is indispensable in addressing this message and crimes. The President has made regional engagement efforts and I am hopeful for the rapid operational direction of the Multinational Joint Task Force.

Buhari’s inaugural  speech

“In his inaugural speech, President Buhari eloquently recognize that human rights are important parts of the counter insurgency response and operations should be conducted with the full respect for rights, humanitarian and refugee law. At the same time, we know that military operations alone will not be sufficient.

“President Buhari and I also discussed efforts at addressing the root causes by tackling socio- economic grievances in the North-East, in particular through expansion of educational and employment opportunities for young people. There is an agreement by UN member states on the sustainable development agenda and on the Addis Ababa action agenda will provide further financing increase to help Nigeria on its agenda for change.

“The humanitarian situation in the North is particularly worrisome; we are working with partners on ground to scale up humanitarian operations. I congratulate President Buhari on the efforts to protect and uphold the rights of displaced persons.

“I pledge the full support of the United Nations for advancing the shared and universal cause of peace, development and human rights”, he said.

According to him, the successful handover had restored a global message of respect for democracy and the rule of law.

He said: “I am honoured to be in Nigeria for the second time as Secretary-General of huge United Nations. I am here to recognize some of huge great achievements and political stability and also unity and peace of this country under the leadership of Muhammadu Buhari. I also congratulate him on his election and more importantly the peaceful and credible elections which have been carried out in this country. I hope that, for example, will be emulated around the world and the message of hope that would be spread out around the world.

“Mr. President, I am here at the moment of complex challenges and all kinds of promise and hope. I want to commend the people of Nigeria on the peaceful and fair elections. I salute the statesmanship of both President Buhari and former President Goodluck Jonathan. For the first time in Nigeria, a sitting President peacefully ceded power to an opposition candidate in a democratic election. It has restored a global message of respect for democracy and the rule of law.

“President Buhari has embarked on an agenda for change and I commend him highly for prioritizing insecurity, anti-corruption and unemployment issues.

“I am convinced that when you change Nigeria, you have changed Africa. Nigeria has been a source of stability in West Africa and the wider continent. You have been a key contributor to UN peace keeping operations including its successful mission in Liberia and Sierra-Leone. Nigeria is once again playing a crucial role in the UN Security Council over which Ambassador Joy Ogwu is now presiding in this month’s President of the Security Council.”

Buhari speaks

Also speaking, President Muhammadu Buhari expressed gratitude to the visiting UN Secretary-General for the solidarity visit.

He also thanked the United Nations for inviting him to its general assembly next month.

He said: “I want to thank the secretary-general for his depth of the appreciation of Nigeria’s problems. 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 difficult time Nigeria finds itself; the destruction of infrastructure, especially in the north-east, 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.”