UN OFFICE BOMBING: Nigeria Back on US Terror List

BY CHUKWUDI OHIRI

 United Nations building in the Nigerian capital, Abuja has been hit by massive explosion suspected to be the handi-work of the Islamist militia sect—Boko Haram. Unconfirmed reports say the blast is believed to have been caused by a suicide bomber who rammed into the compound with car bomb detonated.

 A good number of people have been reportedly killed in the blast while several others sustained various degrees of injury as a result. The UN office in Abuja is said to be housing over 400 workers and as at press time, reports say about 300 people may have been trapped in the damaged building while all the people on the basement were confirmed dead. The Police and Fire service are currently on the scene carrying out rescue operations. 
Meanwhile, UN officials have declined to make full statements over the blast except the confirmation of the explosion and the unauthenticated number of causalities.

As Nigerians and the UN continue to count the loss, it is most likely that Nigeria is definitely going back to the US terrorist watch list which took Nigeria quite a lot to expunge.

Following the failed attempt by foreign based Nigerian student, Umar Farouk Abdulmutallab to detonate the bomb strapped to his pants, Nigeria was ranked among other 14 countries that harbour or sponsor terrorism against the United States (US) and its allies and so placed under severe security watch. The effect was that Nigerians and indeed all flights coming from Nigeria into the US were subjected to stringent and embarrassing security checks at the Airport.

Shortly after the inauguration of Dr. Goodluck Jonathan as the substantive president in place of Late Yar’Adua, he began a lot of image laundering campaigns which saw to the delisting of Nigeria from the US terror list afterwards.

With the spate of bombings that have threatened to destabilize the polity for quite some time now and the latest hit on the UN office in Abuja, there is no doubting that the US, as well the UN will redirect its security searchlight on Nigeria again. These may usher in another spate of dehumanizing treatments on Nigerians in transit.

Full details of the attack are still unfolding and in a matter of days, most countries including the US and the UN will make official pronouncements.