At least 23 people were killed and more than 60 were injured in the Boko Haram attack on August 26, 2011 against the United Nations building in Abuja are unsung heroes, UN Secretary-General António Guterres has said.
Guterres said this Wednesday in Abuja during his first two-day formal visit to Nigeria since his appointment.
He said: “August 26, 2011 is a date that is seared into the collective memory of the UN family. In that tragic, a terrorist bomb attack on the UN house left 23 UN employees and civilians dead and more than 60 wounded.
“The staff members who lost their lives were unsung heroes who proudly served Nigeria through the work of our organization.
“They worked for organizations that continue to support Nigerians. UNDP, WHO, UNICEF, UNAIDS and UNODC.
“But they are also mothers and fathers, sons and daughters, brothers and sisters, and dear friends. All but one were Nigerian citizens and today we commemorate the tragic death of him on that dark day.”
Since the Boko Haram insurgency began around 2009, the terrorist organization, which began as a lobby group, has continued to wreak havoc in the northeastern part of the country, with its dissident factions reportedly also contributing to the banditry that plagues the region. Northwest and North-central.
More than 20,000 people, including civilians and security personnel, were said to have been killed in attacks associated with the insurgency, while an estimated 8.4 million people were displaced in the three worst-affected states: Borno, Adamawa and Yobe.
A bomb blast attributed to Boko Haram at the United Nations building in Abuja, the Nigerian capital, killed more than 20 people and injured 60 others on August 26, 2011.
Paying tribute to the victims, Guterres said the UN family stands in solidarity with their families, as well as with the women and men who worked at UN House every day to serve and support the Nigerian people.
demand for justice
He also demanded that the perpetrators of the bomb attack on the UN House be brought to justice.
He said: “And we stand in solidarity with all Nigerians, whether they experience similar violence in their own communities.
“In our victim-centered approach, perpetrators must be held accountable. We remain steadfast in our commitment to support a peaceful Nigeria for all people. And I thank the Nigerian government for repairing this house, which has allowed our staff to come back here.”
Earlier, Minister for Women’s Affairs Pauline Tallen, who led delegates to meet Mr. Guterres, discussed gender equality and women’s participation in politics in Nigeria.
“Your coming to Nigeria today has given us hope because we know you will lend your voice to all the issues that affect women, gender-based violence, early marriage, the lack of implementation of some of our laws,” she said.