UN condemns Boko Haram attack on wedding convoy in Nigeria

About 30 people attending the wedding were killed. The United Nations Human Rights Office on Tuesday condemned the attack on a wedding convoy in Nigeria in which more than 30 people were killed. In a statement in New York, the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) spokesperson, Cecile Pouilly, said the attacks were cowardly in nature. The guests were ambushed and killed on Saturday, November 2 along the Bama-Mubi-Banki Road in Borno State by members of the Boko Haram sect. The road is said to be located close to the border with Cameroon which is notorious for attacks by the militant group. “We strongly condemn the cowardly attacks by Boko Haram’’, Ms. Pouilly said in the statement.

Boko Haram, she said, had continued to target civilians, including students and worshippers, politicians, members of government institutions, foreign nationals as well as security forces. Ms. Pouilly said that attacks reportedly occur almost on a daily basis in the north-east of Nigeria, especially in Borno and neighbouring areas. She warned that members of Boko Haram could be guilty of crimes against humanity if judged to have attacked civilian population including on grounds of religion or ethnicity Boko Haram had also carried out attacks against schools in recent months. Since June 16, a total of 48 students and seven teachers have reportedly been killed in four attacks in the region