Date Published: 08/30/11

We condemn the bombing of and killings at the United Nations House in Abuja, Nigeria

During the early hours of Friday, August 26, the United Nations (UN) House in Abuja Nigeria, was bombed by a lone suicide bomber, killing at least 18, injuring many more and causing substantial structural damage to the building. We strongly condemn this senseless, dastardly, cowardly and horrific act of terrorism, and wish to send our condolences to the United Nations, families and friends of those killed. The Islamic extremist group Boko Haram has claimed responsibility, we urge the Nigerian authorities, in the short term, to leave no stones unturned in bringing them and any other perpetrators to justice.

The United Nations serves to ensure peace, security and international cooperation within the global community, in fulfillment of the values on which it was founded, which are to promote dignity, freedom, security and peace.  This terrorist attack therefore is an attack on the whole international community and deserves a coordinated international response.

We hereby recommend that;

1-       President Goodluck Jonathan immediately reconstitutes the leadership of and restructures all security agencies responsible for protecting our homeland from acts of terrorism, to ensure confidence and effectiveness in the fight against terrorism.

2-       President Goodluck Jonathan constitutes immediately, a National Terrorism Response Team (NTRT), comprising experts drawn from the various security agencies, Foreign Affairs and Justice Ministries. The purposes of which are developing, coordinating and executing an integrated robust strategy to eradicate this scourge of terrorism. 

3-       The NTRT facilitates, with support of the United Nations, the constitution of a Regional Terrorism Response Team (RTRT), comprising intelligence and security experts from the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS). The purposes of which are to aggressively deter and punish acts of terrorism within Nigeria and the region.

4-       President Jonathan initiates a credible process towards the convocation of a sovereign national conference to resolve the Nigeria question and chart a way forward.

These actions we believe are essential to positively redefine the weak image of President Jonathan and his administration, nationally and globally, as regards ability to combat and or eradicate terrorism. In short, President Jonathan must demonstrate in concrete terms that he is focused like a laser beam, on tackling this matter of grave national security consequences.     

Signed  

Dr. Eugene Ezekwueche, Secretary General

Mr. Joseph Aralu, Publicity Director
About Solon Institute: We are a US-based Nigerian public policy think tank committed to good governance and respect for human rights.