Ban condemns 'horrific' bombing of mosque in northern Nigeria

Condemning the “horrific” attack on Kano Central Mosque, which killed dozens of people and injured hundreds of others, Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon has called on the authorities to bring the perpetrators to just and reaffirmed the United Nations support to Nigeria's battle against terrorism.

In a statement issued by his spokesperson late yesterday in New York, Mr. Ban condemned the deadly attack on what media reports are describing as one of the largest mosques in the northern Nigerian city of Kano. Dozens of people were killed and scores mores were injured when gunmen reportedly set off multiple bombs and fired on worshipers at the mosque.

The Secretary-General conveyed his deepest condolences to the families of the deceased and to the people and Government of Nigeria and wishes swift recovery to the injured.

Calling on the Nigerian authorities to swiftly bring the perpetrators to justice, Mr. Ban in his statement reiterated that there can be no justification for attacks on civilians.

“The Secretary-General reaffirms the full support of the United Nations to Nigeria's efforts to fight terrorism and to provide security to the population consistent with international law and Nigeria's human rights obligations,” the statement concluded.

Yesterday's attack comes as the UN refugee agency (UNHCR) reported that an attack earlier this week earlier this week on the northern Nigerian town of Damassak, for which the group Boko Haram claimed responsibility, left 50 people dead and forced at least 3,000 to flee to the Diffa region in neighbouring Niger.

The agency says that violence in Nigeria has also pushed more than 39,000 Nigerians to flee to Cameroon since then as well as 2,800 to Chad. In Nigeria, some 700,000 people are internally displaced in Borno, Yobe and Adamawa states, according to Government figures.