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Death toll from UN building explosion rises to 23

Xinhua, August 29, 2011

• The death toll has gone up to 23 from the UN building explosion, the world body said on Sunday.

  Rescue workers help an injured person out of the UN building in Nigeria's capital Abuja on August 26, 2011.

  Martin Dawes, the spokesman from the world body, confirmed that the latest casualty is 23 dead and 81 injured.

  Dawes made the confirmation to the press in Abuja.

  The explosion rocked the UN building in Nigeria's capital Abuja on Friday, damaging much of the house. The bomb which was allegedly planted in a vehicle was driven by a lone occupant through the exit gate of the UN house.

  Soon after the explosion, Nigerian President Goodluck Jonathan condemned the bomb attack.

  In a statement, the president "utterly condemn the barbaric, senseless and cowardly attack on the United Nations building in Abuja." The president, according to the statement, "believes that the attack is a most despicable assault on the United Nations' objectives of global peace and security, and the sanctity of human life to which Nigeria wholly subscribes."

  President Jonathan also reaffirms the Federal Government's total commitment to vigorously combating the incursion of all forms of terrorism into Nigeria.

  He reassured all Nigerians and the international community that his administration will spare no effort to bring the perpetrators to justice.

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