Top UN Official in West Africa Urges End to ‘Unprecedented’ Spate of Violence in Nigeria
New York, Mar 4 2014 - Concerned about the escalation of acts of terrorism in north-eastern Nigeria, including along the
border with Cameroon, the head of the United Nations Office for West Africa (UNOWA) today strongly condemned the latest
wave of “unspeakable” violence in the region and demanded an end to attacks targeting innocent civilians.
“This unprecedented cycle of violence must stop. The people of Nigeria deserve to live in peace and security,” declared
Said Djinnit in a statement issued by UNOWA, in which he deplored the killing over the weekend of some 80 people by
unidentified armed groups in Maiduguri, Mainok and Mafa villages in Borno state.
Borno, along with Nigeria’s northern states of Adamawa and Yobe, have been under states of emergency since May 2013 as
the army fights Islamist Boko Haran rebels. The region has been prone to attacks by Islamic militants who have
notoriously targeted civilians, including students and worshippers, politicians, members of Government institutions and
foreign nationals. The continuing violence has displaced thousands of people, mainly to neighbouring Cameroon and Niger.
One week ago today, Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon and the UN Children’s Fund (UNICEF) strongly condemned the brutal
slaying of dozens of students in an attack on the Federal Government College of Buni Yadi in Yobe state, and voiced the
hope that the perpetrators will be swiftly brought to justice.
In his statement on the more renewed violence, Mr. Djinnit, who is also Special Representative of the Secretary-General
for West Africa, said the recent attacks – a series of deadly car bombings, according to media reports – which resulted
in the death of more than 80 people, “are further unspeakable violence against innocent civilians who have been
regularly targeted by indiscriminate terrorist attacks.”
Expressing condolences to the bereaved families and to the people and the Government of Nigeria, he reiterated the need
to protect civilians and expressed the hope that the perpetrators of the attacks will be brought to justice.
For more details go to UN News Centre at http://www.un.org/news
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