United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon paid tribute Monday to 23 staff of the organization killed four years ago in a Boko Haram car bombing at his organization’s headquarters in Nigeria.
The UN Chief who also met with President Muhammadu Buhari, promised solidarity with the new Nigerian leader’s fight against insecurity, unemployment and corruption.
Ban laid a wreath Monday at the U.N. offices where a Boko Haram suicide car bomber smashed through the barrier and exploded into the reception area on Aug. 26, 2011, killing 23 people. He was to meet later Monday with some of the 60 wounded who “suffered terrible injury and trauma,” he said. “The terrorists attacked the United Nations and destroyed the lives of many colleagues,” said Ban. “But we have a mandate to build. To better the lives of people in need. To conquer hunger, disease and illiteracy. To promote respect for people’s rights and freedoms.”
The United Nations Secretary General, Ban Ki-moon, also has called for the unconditional release of the over 200 Chibok girls and many other abducted children in the north-east. He, however, described the abduction of the girls form their dormitory in a government school in Chibok, Borno State on April 14, 2014 and other Nigerians in the north-east as intolerable.
Mr Ban said that terrorism knows no boundaries and more than ever, collaboration is indispensable in the fight. He congratulated President Buhari on his stand on corruption and fight against terrorism describing Nigeria as a source of support to Africa.
The UN Secretary General, commended the contribution of Nigeria to UN peace operations in Liberia and Sierra Leone and the crucial role it is currently playing in the UN Security Council.
Mr Ban commended President Buhari’s stand on human rights in the fight against terror, saying that military operations alone will not be sufficient. He, nonetheless called for more effort to be centred on tackling the root causes of terrorism such as expansion of educational and employment opportunities for young people.
