The United Nations yesterday closed down the office allocated to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) at the world body’s building citing violations of United Nations Media rules, PSN reported.

It was gathered that the United Nations Media Accreditation and Liaison Unit (MALU) said  under the rules of engagement NAN had erred in its operation of the office space given to it free by the world body, and this development is making the agency face serious United States immigration problems.

It was reported that the office had been under lock and key for the past four months as a result of the agency’s recall of previous correspondent, asking him to report to Abuja due to “severe financial difficulties.”

Top officials of the agency did not take advantage of strong efforts by Ms. Isabelle Broyer, head of the UN media unit to keep the office for the agency as they repeatedly said the agency was broke under its new head, Mr. Ima Niboro, a former spokesman for President Goodluck Jonathan, and now Managing Director of NAN.

Head of the UN Media Unit, Ms. Isabelle Broyer, was quoted yesterday as saying that the office had been assigned to media organisation from another country.
It was gathered that a recent audit showed that the agency has problems with financial controls.

While existing staff are being owed salaries, the new boss had employed his close friends as directors and heads of departments over existing and senior employees, a source said on Tuesday.

It was also reported that NAN’s financial condition was not that good and it can no longer sustain its offices around the world, neither can it retain such an amount of the permanent work force.

Investigation shows that some staffs are being owed several months in salaries and bonus, while its crew in London and South Africa are having severe accommodation and financial issues.