The United States of America and the United Nations have strongly condemned recent suicide bomb attacks targeting civilians in the Gwoza local government area of Borno State on Saturday.
Naija News earlier reported that the Borno State Police Command confirmed that no fewer than six people were killed, with 15 others injured in a suicide attack in Gwoza, Borno State.
However, the Emir of Gwoza confirmed that female suicide bombers attacked a wedding and funeral, killing over 30 people on the spot and injuring about 50 others.
The attacks have drawn widespread condemnation from within Nigeria and across political divides, with prominent Nigerians calling for a significant overhaul of the country’s security structure.
In separate statements, the US and United Nations condemned the “horrific attacks” that occurred in Gwoza on June 29.
A statement from the US Diplomatic Mission in Nigeria expressed condolences to the families of the victims and described the attacks as horrific, stating, “These reprehensible acts of violence show a cruel and heartless disregard for human life. We offer our deepest condolences to the families and friends of those killed and wish a full recovery to the injured.
“These abhorrent attacks are a stark reminder of the ongoing threat posed by terrorism in the region. The U.S. Diplomatic Mission in Nigeria is committed to our partnership with Nigeria as it works to defeat terrorism and bring the perpetrators of these heinous acts to justice.”
Similarly, UN Resident and Humanitarian Coordinator in Nigeria, Mohamed Fall, expressed his horror and condemnation of the attacks in a statement on Sunday.
Fall also reminded all parties involved in the conflict of their obligations under international humanitarian law to protect civilians.
He emphasized the United Nations’ commitment to supporting the victims of the attacks and conveyed his condolences to the Borno State Government.
“I am horrified by this attack on civilian populations and condemn such acts in the strongest terms. I stand in solidarity with the Government of Nigeria and the families and communities of all those affected.
“I have reached out to the Borno State Government to express my condolences and offer any support that the United Nations and the humanitarian community can provide to aid the victims of the attack,” he stated.
Meanwhile, Nigeria’s President, Bola Tinubu, expressed sorrow over the loss of innocent lives due to the suicide bombing and promised that the perpetrators, whom he called cowards, would be brought to justice soon.
The President said the action of the terrorists is due to the pressure mounted against them by security forces which have degraded their abilities to mount attacks.