Nigeria was conspicuously missing late yesterday from a United Nations meeting called to seek help for millions of people in the Lake Chad Basin region forced to flee the violence of Boko Haram and hit with repeated droughts and floods that have brought malnutrition and disease.

“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 this morning.

“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 international news agency said.

It added that the Nigerian U.N. mission was not immediately available to comment on its absence.

News Express reports that President Muhammadu Buhari and a retinue of friends and government officials are currently in the USA for the 70th session of the U.N. General Assembly. The delegation arrived New York at midnight (Local Time, USA) on Thursday and was received at the JFK International Airport by the Nigerian Permanent Representative to the United Nations, Prof Joy Ogwu, Permanent Secretary Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Amb. Paul Bulus Lolo, and National Security Adviser, Rtd Maj. Gen. Monguno Babagana.

Buhari’s delegation include Senior Special Assistant (Household & Domestic) Sarki Abba; Special Adviser (Media & Publicity) Femi Adesina; Senator Hadi Sirika; former Governor of Ekiti State, Dr. Kayode Fayemi; and former Governor of Rivers State, Rt. Hon. Rotimi Amaechi.

The delegation departed Nigeria yesterday afternoon after Buhari had celebrated the Eid-el-Kabir in his hometown Daura, Katsina State.

•Photo shows President Buhari.