Nigeria offers to help rebuild UN building destroyed by bomb blast

Nigeria offers to help rebuild UN building destroyed by bomb blast

2011-08-30 08:57:22 GMT+7 (ICT)

ABUJA (BNO NEWS) -- Nigeria has offered to help in the reconstruction of a United Nations building which was partly destroyed by a bomb blast in the Nigerian capital of Abuja on Friday, Nigerian President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan said on Monday.

President Jonathan held talks with UN Deputy Secretary-General Asha-Rose Migiro at the Nigerian State House in Abuja on Sunday to discuss the terrorist attack, which happened when a suicide bomber hit the three-story UN building, killing 23 people and injuring more than 80 others.

Jonathan said his government will offer temporary accommodation to United Nations staff members to enable them to continue their humanitarian work. He also commended Nigerians and foreign nationals who have helped during the rescue operations to bring relief to those affected by this "condemnable act" of destruction of lives and property.

Migiro travelled to Abuja during the weekend to assess the devastation caused by the suicide bombing. Among the fatalities were cleaners, security guards, humanitarian workers, and national government officials.

After visiting the damaged UN House and meeting with the injured at a hospital in Abuja, Migiro condemned the event saying "it was an attack on a working community that was helping the people of Nigeria."

She further pledged that the "morally reprehensible" act would not deter the world body from continuing its work and said the perpetrators must be brought to justice. Jonathan also offered his condolences.

The UN Deputy Secretary General asked for assistance to enable the quick evacuation of the dead and injured, and thanked President Jonathan for offering to assist in the reconstruction of the UN House, as well as the temporary accommodation to enable the UN to continue its work in Nigeria.

Migiro is scheduled to leave Abuja on Monday. However, UN top-level officials will remain in Nigeria to carry out a thorough assessment and examination of the whole building and advice the Secretary-General Ban accordingly.

The world body is conducting an investigation to determine the circumstances of the bombing which has been condemned by Secretary General Ban Ki-moon, members of the UN Security Council, and top world leaders.

The Islamist group Boko Haram claimed responsibility for the attack. The group has been blamed by Nigerian officials for most of the region's terrorist attacks and seeks the imposition of an extremist stance of the Shariah law, which is a Muslim code of conduct.

The group's name, 'Boko Haram,' in the local language of Hausa, roughly translates as 'Western religion is sacrilegious' or 'non-Islamic religion is a sin.'

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