WCC offers condolences to UN, condemns bombing in Nigeria

 

Rev. Dr Olav Fykse Tveit, general secretary of the World Council of Churches (WCC), has extended his sympathy to United Nations secretary general Ban Ki-moon following the 26 August bombing of UN offices in Abuja, Nigeria. The suicide car-bombing is reported by the Reuters news agency to have left at least 23 persons dead and dozens wounded.

 

“We condemn this senseless act of violence carried out against innocent workers of the UN and the UN family of agencies,” wrote Tveit. “It is in every aspect unjustifiable, and those responsible for this attack must be held accountable.”

 

The WCC sponsored a solidarity visit to Nigerian Christian and Muslim communities in May 2010 and has pledged to follow up with support of member churches engaged in peace-building. In September 2010 the WCC Executive Committee issued a formal statement on the situation in Nigeria.

 

Full text of the letter to the UN secretary general

 

WCC Executive Committee statement on Nigeria (17 September 2010)

Read also:

“Negative Solidarity”: a challenge to peace and development processes in Nigeria (WCC press release, 28 September 2010)

 

Nigerian and Palestinian keynote speakers provide a focus for UN Advocacy Week (WCC press release, 27 September 2010)

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