UN Building Reopens in Abuja

Thursday last week saw the official reopening of the United Nations building in Abuja, eight years after the deadly Boko Haram attack killed 23 people.

The event was marked with the playing of both the Nigerian national anthem and the UN anthem by Nigeria’s National Assembly Guards Brigade.

Mark Lowcock, the UN Under Secretary for Humanitarian Affairs, said the “reopening of UN house today is an act of defiance against such terror”.

He further added a message of unity, saying “We stand together to say that we will not be cowed by violence.  We will continue to support the Nigerian people fulfil their dreams of a future of prosperity and security”.

23 UN workers, guards and visitors were killed in the suicide attack by Boko Haram, which left a further 60 wounded.

The Nigerian government immediately laid out plans for the building to be rebuilt, allocating $15 million to the project.

Edward Kallon, the UN representative to Nigeria said “What started as a normal working day at the UN on Friday, 26th August 2011, quickly turned into a disaster to the United Nations staff, families and some of our partners.  It was indeed a dark day for the United Nations”.

Nigeria became a member of the UN just eight days after being granted its independence from Britain in 1960.

It’s fight with the Islamist extremist group Boko Haram has lasted for over a decade, with UN agencies currently trying to help nearly 4 million people largely in the Muslim majority northwest regions of the country.