The UN Assistant High Commissioner for Protection, Volker Turk, will pay a five-day official working visit to Nigeria from Feb. 18 to 22.

This is contained in a statement signed by External Relations Officer, UN High Commission for Refugees (UNHCR), Nigeria, Hanson Tamfu in Abuja.

It stated that during the visit, Turk is expected to discuss with the Vice President, Yemi Osinbajo, and other senior officials of the Buhari-led administration in Abuja before heading to the North-East.

It stated that while visiting the insurgency affected states of Borno and Adamawa, he is also expected to meet with the governors of both states.

According to the statement, Turk would visit and interact with Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) in camps and host communities and exchange views with the humanitarian actors in the North-East.

It stated that the Assistant High Commissioner for Protection would also hold discussions with officials of the State Emergency Management Agencies (SEMAs).

Turk is the most senior officer of the UN Agency to visit Nigeria since the start of the insurgency in 2009.

The statement added that he would be accompanied by Valentin Tapsoba, Director, Africa Bureau of UNHCR, and Liz Ahua, UNHCR Regional Representative for West Africa.

After the visit to the North-East, Turk will meet with heads of UN and other multilateral partners and humanitarian agencies in Nigeria in Abuja.

He would also visit the Minawoa camp in the Northern region of Cameroon where more than 50,000 Nigerians are refugees.