NIGERIA: President Goodluck Jonathan visits the site of a blast at the United Nations building in Abuja that killed at least 19 people

Record ID: 234588

  • Title: NIGERIA: President Goodluck Jonathan visits the site of a blast at the United Nations building in Abuja that killed at least 19 people
  • Date: 28th August 2011
  • Summary: ABUJA, NIGERIA (AUGUST 27, 2011) (REUTERS) UNITED NATIONS (U.N.) BUILDING CORDONED OFF PART OF U.N. BUILDING NIGERIAN PRESIDENT GOODLUCK JONATHAN ARRIVING AT THE U.N. OFFICE DAMAGED U.N. VEHICLE DETAILS OF WRECKAGE BEING POINTED OUT TO JONATHAN DAMAGED PART OF U.N. BUILDING JONATHAN'S FACE AS HE LISTENS WRECKAGE OF THE CAR THAT BLEW UP IN THE U.N. COMPLEX (SOUNDBITE) (English) NIGERIA'S PRESIDENT, GOODLUCK JONATHAN SAYING: "Terrorist attack on any individual or any part of the world is a terrorist attack on the rest of the world because terrorists don't care about who is anywhere. So the issue is not just U.N. office in Nigeria, the issue is not Nigeria but the issue is global." DAMAGE TO U.N. BUILDING RECEPTION AREA WHERE THE BOMB WENT OFF (SOUNDBITE) (English) NIGERIA'S PRESIDENT, GOODLUCK JONATHAN SAYING: "Yes of course whenever you have terrorist attacks in any country, Nigeria is like another case. I always say that terrorism is like a global plague now. Different countries have suffered from terrorist attacks at different times. Probably it's the turn of Nigeria." DAMAGED PART OF U.N. BUILDING JONATHAN LOOKING AT DAMAGE (SOUNDBITE) (English) RESIDENT COORDINATOR AND UNEPA REP AT THE U.N. OFFICE FOR ABUJA, AGATHA LAWSON, SAYING: "I saw staff that were in really in a bad condition but something that I have to say is that the way the staff behaved yesterday - no panic, and then helping each other, supporting each other and making sure that all of them got out of this building." PATROL DOG JONATHAN LEAVING THE U.N. PREMISES
  • Embargoed: 12th September 2011 13:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: Nigeria, Nigeria
  • Country: Nigeria
  • Topics: Crime,Politics
  • Reuters ID: LVABHC2HQRRUH0G3DEWENQVK8QG
  • Story Text: Nigeria's President Goodluck Jonathan on Saturday (August 27) visited the United Nations building in Abuja where a car bomb exploded killing at least 19 people on Friday (August 26).
    The bomb blast occurred when a car slammed through security gates of the U.N. complex, crashed into the basement and exploded, sending vehicles flying and setting the building ablaze.
    Jonathan says the attack was not just an issue for Nigeria.
    "Terrorist attack on any individual or any part of the world is a terrorist attack on the rest of the world because terrorists don't care about who is anywhere. So the issue is not just the U.N. office in Nigeria, the issue is not Nigeria but the issue is global," he said.
    The Nigerian president added that it could be Nigeria's turn to experience terrorist attacks like other countries have.
    Agatha Lawson, Resident Coordinator of the United Nations in Abuja, praised the calm reaction of U.N. staff as the area was evacuated following the blast.
    "I saw staff that were in really in a bad condition but something that I have to say is that the way the staff behaved yesterday - no panic, and then helping each other, supporting each other and making sure that all of them got out of this building," she said.
    The police and government are yet to determine who is behind the attack although there are suspicions that the local Islamic sect, Boko Haram is responsible.
    Boko Haram, which mostly operates in the remote dusty northeast near the borders of Cameroon, Chad and Niger, wants strict Muslim sharia law more widely applied across Nigeria.
    The organisation is responsible for 150 deaths in bombings and shootings this year.
  • Copyright Holder: REUTERS
  • Copyright Notice: (c) Copyright Thomson Reuters 2011. Open For Restrictions - http://about.reuters.com/fulllegal.asp
  • Usage Terms/Restrictions: None
Register