Ban Ki-Moon meets Nigeria's President as Boko Haram ambush new Military Chief's 

UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon is in  Nigeria to commemorate the Boko Haram bombing of his organisation's headquarters and focus new attention on 219 schoolgirls held by the extremists.

Ban will meet with Nigeria's new President, Muhammadu Buhari, today amid plans to launch a long-delayed regional offensive against the  insurgents.

A UN statement said the leaders will discuss ways to counter the violent extremism as well as human rights and climate change. 

Mr Ban is also  scheduled to meet the Bring Back Our Girls group, which demands government action to free 219 abducted schoolgirls held for nearly 500 days, according to the group.

Later today, he will lay a wreath to mark the anniversary of the August 26 2011 car bombing that killed 21 people at the UN Nigeria headquarters in 

Meanwhile, Nigeria's  military says suspected Boko Haram militants have ambushed a convoy carrying the new head of the Nigerian army, Gen Tukur Buratai.  

The ambush, which  occurred  in  the north-eastern State of Borno, led to a clash  killing one soldier and five militants.  

Gen Buratai was visiting troops in Borno state when his convoy was ambushed.  

He took up his post in July after the President sacked heads of the military for failing to end Boko Haram's insurgency. 

News24/BBC