The United Nations headquarters in Nigeria’s capital was hit on Friday by a car bomb, amidst mounting US fear that Islamist extremists in the continent’s leading oil producer have linked up with al-Qaeda affiliates elsewhere in Africa.
It was not immediately clear who was responsible for the attack, which claimed at least 10 dead according to medical sources, but suspicion fell on a radical Islamist sect responsible for a string of bombs attacks and assassinations over the past year.
The administration of President Goodluck Jonathan, who was elected in April after serving a year as president following the death in office of his predecessor, has had some success, thanks to an amnesty programme in defusing violence in the oil producing and mostly Christian south.It is only the third time that Abuja, the federal capital, has been targeted, with national police headquarters hit last June in a blast blamed on the radical Boko Haram sect, and a separate attack at 50th anniversary of independence celebration last year claimed by militants from the oil producing Niger delta.
But it has struggled to contain an escalating conflict with the Boko Haram sect, which is seeking stricter application of Sharia law. Much of the related violence, including a spate of armed robberies and attacks which claimed 12 lives on Thursday, has taken place in the remote north east of the country.
Witnesses described seeing bodies hauled out of the UN building, which is located in the diplomatic area of Abuja, not far from the US embassy. Police confirmed that there were casualties and medical sources gave Reuters news agency an initial death toll of 10.
Earlier this month, the commander for US military operations in Africa said Boko Haram may be trying to link with two al-Qaeda affiliated groups in other African countries to mount joint attacks in Nigeria.
Nigeria has spawned a string of different radical Islamist groups over the past 20 years. But until recently little evidence has emerged of sustained links with extremists or terrorist groups outside the country.
General Carter Ham told the Associated Press during a visit to Nigeria earlier this month that ”multiple sources” indicated that Boko Haram made contacts with al-Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb, which operates in northwest Africa, and with al-Shabab militants in Somalia. ”I think it would be the most dangerous thing to happen not only to the Africans, but to us as well,” Gen Carter said.
Witnesses said the blast was caused when a car drove through one of the UN compound’s gates and made its way close to the four-storey building before the explosion. The building houses about 400 employees of the UN in Nigeria, including the majority of its offices.
Financial Times
