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Condemnations by members of the International Community trailed the Abuja bomb explosion, in which 21 persons were killed and several critically injured.
UN Secretary-General, Ban Ki-Moon; EU in Brussels and the US Mission in Nigeria, issued separate statements condemning the attack, the third in Abuja in the last two months.
UN Secretary-General, who is attending the AU summit in Equatorial Guinea, said he was appalled by the attack and offered his condolences to the bereaved families and the wounded.
Fire fighters remove a burned body from a car after a bomb exploded in a crowded shopping centre in Nigeria’s capital Abuja on June 25, 2014. A bomb exploded in a crowded shopping centre in Nigeria’s capital Abuja, killing at least 21 people and wounding 17, police and the government said. AFP PHOTO / STRINGER
Mr. Ki-Moon “remains deeply concerned about the escalation of violence in Nigeria,” said the statement.
On its part, U.S government extended its deepest condolences to the families of the victims and called on all Nigerians to support efforts to put an end to “this evil against humanity.”
“These heartless and violent attacks on innocent Nigerians are inexcusable and clearly bespeak the criminality of those behind the attacks”, the U.S Mission in Nigeria said.
The US said it will continue to “support the people of Nigeria in their struggle against violent extremism, and help the government as it works to counter threats to citizens and national unity.”
The EU demanded that the perpetrators of the attack be brought to justice and called for the release of all those kidnapped by the Boko Haram terrorists.
It said the EU had demonstrated increased support for Nigeria in the fight against terrorism and violence and would continue to stand by the Nigeria government.
Nigeria’s Foreign Minister, Aminu Wali, is standing in for the President in scheduled meetings he was billed to attend on the sidelines of the 2-day AU summit, which ends on Friday.