Credit: Gary Raynaldo /  ©Diplomatic Times /  H.E. Olusegun Obasanjo, former President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria speaks at Woodrow Wilson International Center in Washington D.C. Oct. 15, 2019

By Gary Raynaldo     /   DIPLOMATIC  TIMES

Special Envoys are powerful Diplomatic tools who serve in high-profile global conflict areas of the world to help secure peace. The United States and the United Nations have been at the forefront of utilizing  Special Envoys. Diplomatic special envoys are currently dispatched in such  global hot-spots as Iran, Syria, Yemen, Iraq, Turkey, Sudan, the Horn of Africa, and Afghanistan. However, there is no such special envoy utilized by either the U.S. or the UN to deal with the deadly ethnic, religious, extremist crisis in Nigeria and surrounding  Lake Chad region.  Observers say this is quite incredulous given Nigeria is the third most dangerous country on the face of the earth.

Genocide Is Taking Place In Nigeria :   Congressman Wolf 

Credit: Gary Raynaldo /  Congressman Frank Wolf, Former Representative, Virginia’s 10th Congressional District, United States House of Representatives at Wilson International Center Washington D.C. Oct. 15, 2019

“I believe that genocide is taking  place in Nigeria.  Boko Haram has killed more than 27,000 civilians. More than ISIS killed in Iraq and Syria combined. According to the Global Terrorism index, Nigeria is the world’s third most dangerous country after Afghanistan and Iraq.”

-Congressman Frank Wolf, Former Representative, Virginia’s 10th Congressional District, United States House of Representatives,  adding  that Boko Haram Muslim extremists are committing “genocide” against Christians in Nigeria, and noted that  the Islamic state of West Africa is operating in the Lake Chad region.

“We must not forget history, when the world and the United States ignored the genocide in Rwanda, hundreds of thousands of people died. I can still remember. The cables were coming into the State Department, cables were coming into the UN, and the world ignored what was taking place,”      Congressman Wolf stated. 

H.E. Olusegun Obasanjo, former President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, and Congressman Wolf addressed this issue and others in a Conversation entitled: “Managing Nigeria’s Diversity Amidst Rising Ethno-religious Tensions” held Tuesday at the Woodrow Wilson International Center in Washington D.C.

The Congressman called for a Special Envoy for Nigeria and Lake Chad region amid the “genocide”.   

“I believe that we need a special envoy for Nigeria and the Lake Chad region who can coordinate the response to the crisis by various agencies of our government, and who can work with allies in France and England and other countries on terrorism, hunger, sexual trafficking, corruption, religious freedom, human rights violations education—all of the different aspects.”

Congressman Wolf noted that former US President George W. Bush appointed the first Special Envoy for Sudan, Republican Sen. John Danforth of Missouri, in the days preceding the September 11 attacks, can serve as a model.

“…what Danforth and Bush knew was that if we wanted to address our own national security concerns in arresting the spread of Islamic extremism those efforts would necessarily have to occur in places like Sudan,” 

Cameron Hudson wrote for New Atlanticist newsletter.

Congressman Wolf noted that the appointment of Sen. Danforth as President Bush’s Special Envoy to Sudan took place in the Rose Garden  at the White House with Bush standing on one side of Sen. Danforth and Secretary of State Colin Powell on the other side.

“I think we need now based on what is taking place to do the same thing with regard to Nigeria and Lake Chad region. The  challenge that face Nigeria and Lake Chad region are great. The United States and other western nations  have a vested interest in confronting one of the  worst crisis of our day. Nigeria has been fractured and forgotten. Let us not forget it any more.” 

-Congressman Wolf. 

Former Nigerian President  Obasanjo  Also Calls for Special Envoy For Nigeria and Lake  Chad

Credit: Gary Raynaldo /  ©Diplomatic Times /  H.E. Olusegun  Obasanjo, former President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria speaks at Woodrow Wilson International Center in Washington D.C. Oct. 15, 2019

H.E. Olusegun Obasanjo was the first democratically elected President of the Republic of Nigeria.  The West African nation is currently plagued by deadly ethnic and religious violence, and  is home to one of the world’s most deadly Islamic terror groups, BOKA HARAM.  The United Nations estimates that 1.7 million people are internally displaced from Boko Haram’s insurgency and the group has killed more than 15,200 people since 2011, according to some estimates. The former Nigerian President also called for a Special Envoy to be appointed for Nigeria and Lake  Chad.

United Nations ‘Fully Engaged’ On Nigeria Situation Despite Lack of Special Envoy

Credit: Gary Raynaldo / UN logo on window inside world headquarters in New York

 “… we have been speaking about the humanitarian impact of the violence in the north of Nigeria, especially around the Lake Chad Basin.  We’re fully aware.  We’re working in cooperation with the Nigerian authorities to bring as much humanitarian aid and development aid as we can.  The issue of a Special Envoy is one that is usually dealt with with the country in question and with the region and a legislative body.  So, that’s… the fact is, we remain… regardless of the fact that there may not be a Special Envoy doesn’t mean we’re not fully engaged on the issue.”

-Stéphane Dujarric, Spokesman for the United Nations Secretary-General