Photo Credit: Vanguard Newspapers
The United States Government has condemned Friday’s bomb blasts in Abuja, the Nigerian capital.
A statement by the spokesman of the American Embassy in Abuja, Sean McIntosh, said the U.S. government strongly condemned the multiple explosions in the Nyanya and Kuje areas of Abuja on October 2, as well as the suicide bombings and militant attacks in Maiduguri and Adamawa on October 1, Nigeria’s independence anniversary.
“We extend our deepest condolences to the families and loved ones of those killed and injured,” the statement said.
“These tragic events are stark reminders that violent extremists will stop at nothing to inflict horrific and indiscriminate harm upon innocent lives.”
The attacks in Abuja killed 18 people and injured 41 more, the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), confirmed.
The United States assured Nigeria of its support in the battle to defeat terror.
“Through our security and counterterrorism assistance, our unparalleled commitment aims to help Nigeria achieve this goal,” the statement noted.
It noted that the Boko Haram’s reign of terror and sheer brutality has left thousands dead and millions displaced.
The Permanent Secretary, Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA), John Chukwu, has also condemned the Friday’s twin bomb blasts in Kuje, and Nyanya, two satellite towns of Abuja.
Chukwu commiserated with the victims of the blasts, particularly those who lost their loved ones in the unfortunate and barbaric incident.
A statement by the FCT Deputy Director, Press, Mohammed Sule, on Saturday, said the permanent secretary also sympathised with the injured and described the wanton destruction of lives and property as “heartless and an act of wickedness on soft targets, which has no place in our history and tradition.”
He assured that the FCT Administration would continue to work closely with the security agencies to ensure the safety of lives and property of all the residents of the Federal Capital Territory.
Chukwu prayed for the speedy recovery of the injured persons.
He appealed to the residents to be more vigilant and report any suspicious persons or movement to the law enforcement agents.
The All Progressives Congress (APC) in a statement in Lagos on Saturday by its National Publicity Secretary, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, said the attacks, as well as other recent ones, were part of the “cowardly tactics of the terrorists to focus on soft targets, after the military has succeeded in putting them on the run”.
It said the “avowed determination of the Buhari administration to crush Boko Haram, which has seen the military recording a string of successes against the terrorists”, would not be weakened by “these dastardly acts that are nothing but the last kicks of a dying monster”.
APC appealed to Nigerians to be vigilant, explaining that Boko Haram members, who had been smoked out of their strongholds, might be seeking refuge elsewhere across the country.
The party condoled with the families of those who were killed in the latest Abuja attacks, and wished those who were injured a speedy recovery.
