At least 16 people have been killed after a car laden with explosives blew up outside the United Nations' main office in Nigeria's capital, tearing a huge hole in one side of the building.
Witnesses told the Associated Press that a sedan broke through the exit at the UN compound, ramming through two separate gates as guards tried to stop it. The suicide bomber drove the car up to the main reception of the building before detonating, inflicting the most damage possible, witnesses said.
"I saw scattered bodies," said Michael Ofilaje, a Unicef worker at the building. "Many people are dead."
He said it felt like "the blast came from the basement and shook the building".
The building houses about 400 employees of the UN in Nigeria, including the majority of its offices. A local UN spokesman declined to comment but a hospital administrator told the AP it had treated as many as 40 victims so far, with more coming in.
The figure of 16 killed came from the Nigerian Red Cross. Alessandra Vellucci, a spokeswoman for the UN office in Geneva, said it had no word yet on casualties.
The UN deputy spokesman Farhan Haq in New York said: "There are some indications of fatalities but we are trying to get confirmation."
The building is in the same neighbourhood as the US embassy and other diplomatic posts in Abuja. Workers had brought in three large cranes by midday on Friday and were trying to pull away the concrete and rubble to find survivors. Others at the site stood around, stunned, as medical workers carried out bodies.
"This is getting out of hand," said a UN employee who identified himself as Bodunrin. "If they can get into the UN House they can reach anywhere."
Ali Tikko, who was in a building 100 metres from the site of the blast, said: "I heard one big boom." Outside his window, he said, he could see part of the damage.
"I see a number of people lying on the floor, at least four or five. I cannot see if they are dead. There are a lot of security around," said Tikko, speaking by telephone.
Police spokesman Jimoh Moshood said they were investigating the cause. Reuben Abati, a spokesman for President Goodluck Jonathan, said the presidency would be issuing a statement.
There was no immediate claim of responsibility, but oil-rich Nigeria faces multiple terrorism threats. Last year a militant group from the country's crude-producing Niger Delta blew up car bombs in the capital during Nigeria's 50th independence anniversary ceremony, killing at least 12.
Nigeria is a nation of 150 million people split between a largely Christian south and Muslim north. In recent months the country has faced an increasing threat from a radical Muslim sect called Boko Haram, which wants to implement a strict version of sharia law. The sect has carried out killings and bombings, including the June car bombing of the national headquarters of Nigeria's federal police that killed at least two people.
This month the commander for US military operations in Africa said Boko Haram may be trying to link with two al-Qaida affiliate groups in other African countries to mount joint attacks in Nigeria.
taken from http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2011/aug/26/explosion-nigeria-un-building-bomb
Witnesses told the Associated Press that a sedan broke through the exit at the UN compound, ramming through two separate gates as guards tried to stop it. The suicide bomber drove the car up to the main reception of the building before detonating, inflicting the most damage possible, witnesses said.
"I saw scattered bodies," said Michael Ofilaje, a Unicef worker at the building. "Many people are dead."
He said it felt like "the blast came from the basement and shook the building".
The building houses about 400 employees of the UN in Nigeria, including the majority of its offices. A local UN spokesman declined to comment but a hospital administrator told the AP it had treated as many as 40 victims so far, with more coming in.
The figure of 16 killed came from the Nigerian Red Cross. Alessandra Vellucci, a spokeswoman for the UN office in Geneva, said it had no word yet on casualties.
The UN deputy spokesman Farhan Haq in New York said: "There are some indications of fatalities but we are trying to get confirmation."
The building is in the same neighbourhood as the US embassy and other diplomatic posts in Abuja. Workers had brought in three large cranes by midday on Friday and were trying to pull away the concrete and rubble to find survivors. Others at the site stood around, stunned, as medical workers carried out bodies.
"This is getting out of hand," said a UN employee who identified himself as Bodunrin. "If they can get into the UN House they can reach anywhere."
Ali Tikko, who was in a building 100 metres from the site of the blast, said: "I heard one big boom." Outside his window, he said, he could see part of the damage.
"I see a number of people lying on the floor, at least four or five. I cannot see if they are dead. There are a lot of security around," said Tikko, speaking by telephone.
Police spokesman Jimoh Moshood said they were investigating the cause. Reuben Abati, a spokesman for President Goodluck Jonathan, said the presidency would be issuing a statement.
There was no immediate claim of responsibility, but oil-rich Nigeria faces multiple terrorism threats. Last year a militant group from the country's crude-producing Niger Delta blew up car bombs in the capital during Nigeria's 50th independence anniversary ceremony, killing at least 12.
Nigeria is a nation of 150 million people split between a largely Christian south and Muslim north. In recent months the country has faced an increasing threat from a radical Muslim sect called Boko Haram, which wants to implement a strict version of sharia law. The sect has carried out killings and bombings, including the June car bombing of the national headquarters of Nigeria's federal police that killed at least two people.
This month the commander for US military operations in Africa said Boko Haram may be trying to link with two al-Qaida affiliate groups in other African countries to mount joint attacks in Nigeria.
taken from http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2011/aug/26/explosion-nigeria-un-building-bomb
No comments:
Post a Comment