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President Jonathan: We will bring terrorism under control |
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| Posted on 28 August, 2011 | Back to news home | |
UN House Abuja aftermarth of bomb attack
UN House, Abuja bomb blast scene |
President Jonathan: We will bring terrorism under control
President Goodluck Jonathan stepped through shattered glass and past dried pools of blood at the damaged building as U.N. employees salvaged printers, computers and all they could carry to keep the mission running. President Jonathan walked by the battered exit gate the suicide bomber rammed through to reach the massive U.N. building's glass reception hall Friday morning. "Terrorists don't care about who is anywhere." There, the bomber detonated explosives powerful enough to bring down parts of the concrete structure and blow out glass windows from other buildings in the quiet neighborhood filled with diplomatic posts. The president promised journalists gathered there that the nation would stand up to terrorism, though Boko Haram continues to carry out bombings and assassinations seemingly at will. "Terrorist attacks on any individual or part of the world is a terrorist attack on the rest of the world," …"Terrorists don't care about who is anywhere." Jonathan said. President Jonathan did not say who was responsible for the attack, only addressing Boko Haram in response to a reporter's question. "Boko Haram is a local group linked up with terrorist activities," the president said." As a government, we are working on this and we will bring it under control." The U.N.'s top official in Nigeria promised that humanitarian aid would continue to flow through the world body to Nigeria, even though the Boko Haram sect which claimed responsibility for the attack views it as a target. “Common Enimies” "I think it gives us more strength to continue helping the population," said Agathe Lawson, the U.N.'s Acting Resident Coordinator in Nigeria. Meanwhile, a spokesman for the feared sect told journalists Saturday in its home of northeast Nigeria that it considers the U.S, the U.N. and the Nigerian government the "common enemies" in its fight, promising future attacks. Background The death toll for the attack has rose to 23 on sunday, official report. At least 15 of the dead were U.N. personnel, U.N. deputy spokesman Farhan Haq said Friday night from New York. However, a U.N. statement sent Saturday from the Nigeria office said nine U.N. staffers were confirmed dead and dozens were hospitalized. The National Hospital in Abuja alone treated 75 injured people from the bomb blast Friday, said Obasi Ekumankama, the hospital's director of clinical services. The U.N. had yet to complete a head count of its staff at the building, which houses about 400 workers, Lawson said. A U.N. team that includes Deputy Secretary-General Asha-Rose Migiro and Security Chief Gregory Starr was expected to arrive in Abuja late Saturday night; and will be addressing a press conference Sunday. "Western education is sacrilege" But other help is already being given by the international community: A U.S. embassy car carrying what local authorities described as FBI agents arrived at the bomb site a short time after Jonathan left. Deb MacLean, a spokeswoman for the U.S. embassy in Abuja, said FBI agents "were on the ground" to assist after the bombing. She declined to elaborate. Friday's bombing represented the first suicide attack targeting foreigners by Boko Haram, whose name means "Western education is sacrilege" in the local Hausa language. The group, which has reported links to al-Qaida, wants to implement a strict version of Shariah law in the nation and is vehemently opposed to Western education and culture. It claimed responsibility for a similar car bombing at the country's federal police headquarters in Abuja in June that killed at least two people. Lawson, the U.N.'s acting resident coordinator, said workers already set up another office to continue their work, though much more space was needed to carry out the body's work.
Reuters/Iheanacho |
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