The European Union high representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy and the Vice President of the European Commission, Catherine Ashton, has described the bombing of UN House by the Islamic set, Boko Haram, as a ‘criminal attack’.
Ashton, in a statement made available to LEADERSHIP by the EU, Public Relations Officer, Mrs. Ugo Sokari-George, said: “I learned with great sadness and shock the news of the bomb attack on the premises of the United Nations in Abuja. The EU condemns in the strongest possible terms this criminal attack.
“I would like to present my deep and most respectful condolences to the families of the victims, to all those affected, and to the government and the people of Nigeria. The EU expresses its solidarity with the United Nations family at this moment of tragedy.”
Also, the minister of Foreign Affairs of the Russian Federation, Mr. Sergey Lavrov, in his condolence letter to his Nigerian counterpart, minister of foreign affairs, condemned the bombing of the UN House.
Lavrov, in the letter made available to LEADERSHIP, said: “It is with profound regret and indignation that I have learned about the terrorist act in the capital city of Nigeria in the main building of the UN mission which resulted in human casualties and injuries.
“I vigorously condemn this senseless barbaric crime, and assure you of our solidarity and invariable willingness to further pursue the consolidation of the international efforts in fighting terrorism. ”
The president of the European Parliament, Jerzy Buzek, also added his voice to the spate of condemnations.
He expressed this in a press statement made available to LEADERSHIP on yesterday in Abuja by the press team leader, Marcin Grajewski.
He particularly condoled with the affected families.
He said that an attack on the United Nations was an attack on the whole international community.
“The United Nations is in Nigeria to assist the Nigerian people; it is therefore all the more shocking that this attack occurred. The European Parliament condemns this heinous act,” he said.