Nigerian Bombers Blame Attack on ‘Oppression of Muslims’

ABUJA – A spokesperson for Boko Haram blamed last weeks bombing of the UN building in Nigeria on the UN’s participation “in the oppression of believers.”

The Security Council mourns those lost in Nigeria.
UN Photo/Rick Bajornas

Boko Haram, a Nigerian militant organization with ties to al Qaeda, claimed responsibility for the attack that claimed 23 lives and left 80 wounded this past Friday.

“We are at war with the infidels. In Nigeria the federal government tries to perpetuate the agenda of the Unied Nations,” said Abul Qaqa, a Boko Haram spokesperson, “the UN is the bastion of the global oppression of muslims all over the world.”

Western officials are now urging for a new and less militarized approach to dealing with Boko Haram. The bombing this past Friday shows that the heavy-handed approach towards containment has further radicalized the group.

Instead, officials suggest the government work to address the economic and social problems facing the country. 50 million youth in Nigeria, a country of 154 million, are underemployed. Life expectancy is 48 years despite substantial oil revenue and wages have remained flat for the past several decades.

Despite the bombing, several UN officials have made clear that the UN ‘will not be deterred’ from its work.

The UN plans to conduct a global threat review in addition to a full review of the attack and security measures in Abuja.