Ban, UNICEF condemn deadly suicide bombing at Nigerian school
| Publisher | UN News Service |
| Publication Date | 10 November 2014 |
| Cite as | UN News Service, Ban, UNICEF condemn deadly suicide bombing at Nigerian school, 10 November 2014, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/546219924.html [accessed 20 May 2023] |
| Disclaimer | This is not a UNHCR publication. UNHCR is not responsible for, nor does it necessarily endorse, its content. Any views expressed are solely those of the author or publisher and do not necessarily reflect those of UNHCR, the United Nations or its Member States. |
United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon strongly condemned the suicide bombing today at a government boarding school in the north-eastern Nigerian town of Potiskum, reportedly killing dozens of students and wounding countless others.
In a statement issued today by his spokesperson, Mr. Ban reiterated his conviction that "no objective justifies wanton violence against civilians," and called for the perpetrators to be "swiftly brought to justice through a process respectful of Nigeria's human rights obligations and for adequate security measures to be provided for the protection of civilians.
"The Secretary-General is outraged by the frequency and brutality of attacks against educational institutions in the north of the country and reiterates his demand for an immediate cessation to these abominable crimes," the statement said.
The attack took place earlier today at the Government Science Technical School Potiskum in Yobe State.
The Secretary-General also extended his sincere condolences to the families of those who were killed, and to the Government and people of Nigeria.
In related news, the UN Children's Fund (UNICEF) also condemned the attack on the school.
"These repeated and relentless attacks on children and schools are attacks on the future of Nigeria, a country that already has the largest number of children out of school in the world," UNICEF said in a statement.
"We call on those with the responsibility and power to bring the perpetrators of this cruel act to justice, and to uphold their responsibilities to protect children," the statement also said.
Nigeria has witnessed numerous attacks in recent years, many of them carried out by the militant group known as Boko Haram.
