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| AFRICOM’s Commander, General Carter F. Ham |
It was learnt that while the United Nations has sent some of its senior officials to join the Federal Government in working out a framework to deal with the perpetrators of the attack, for which the Boko Haram has now taken responsibility. The US government has also offered investigative assistance to track down leaders of the Boko Haram group.
According to Empowered Newswire reports, an online news portal, the Commander of the US Africa Command, AFRICOM, in an earlier visit to Nigeria this month had offered to provide help to the Nigerian military and government on how to deal with the menace of the sect especially when the Americans suspected that the Boko Haram was linked with the Al Quaida terrorist group.
A report last week by the Associated Press in the US quoted AFRICOM’s Commander, General Carter Ham as saying that the Boko Haram might be seeking to mount joint attacks in Nigeria with other African militants.
Ham reportedly stated then that US intelligence sources indicated that Boko Haram had made contact with al-Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb, which operates in North Africa, and with the Shabab in Somalia.
While speaking with the AP, Ham said the US believes Boko Haram may be splitting with one section focused on domestic issues and another on violent international extremism.
According to the AP report, al-Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb, also known as AQIM, has issued statements in support of Boko Haram, and both use similar logos.
Besides, the report noted that “a recent video indicates that two men, a Briton and an Italian who were kidnapped in north-western Nigeria, are being held by AQIM.”
AP further said Ham met last week with Nigerian military and security officials during his first visit to the country as the head of AFRICOM and promised that the U.S. would be willing to share intelligence and offer training to Nigerian security forces.
In a related development, a top UN official, Prof. Ibrahim Gambari, who was visibly upset about Friday’s attack, said the perpetrators of the attack on the UN House, “by attacking the UN, are the ones internationalizing the issue and thus requiring international cooperation in response to their awful acts.”
Gambari who is the United Nations and African Union Joint Special Representative to Darfur and an Under Secretary-General, said, “International terrorism requires international response.”
Also, the UN Staff Union has said the Nigerian authorities should do their best to apprehend those responsible for the bomb attack.
“This event, once again, serves as a tragic reminder of the innumerable risks undertaken daily by United Nations personnel across the globe,” the union said in its reaction.
Similarly, the heads of several UN agencies have decried the bombing, including the Administrator of the UN Development Programme, Helen Clark.
Clark said, “The UN country team is working closely with national authorities to account for those still missing.”
The Executive Director of the UN Children’s Fund, Anthony, also said the loss of their UN colleagues comes exactly one week after the organisation commemorated the bravery of those working to save lives around the globe during the annual World Humanitarian Day.
Meanwhile, the UN, as a mark of honour and mourning started flying UN flags half mast on Saturday.
A UN statement said the UN flags, which includes all flags of member nations in front of the UN head office in New York would be flown at half-mast for three days starting yesterday, Saturday.
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