Security Council Press Statement on Suicide Bomb Attack against Government Science Technical School in Potiskum in Yobe State, Nigeria

The following Security Council press statement was issued today by Council President Gary Quinlan (Australia):

The members of the Security Council condemned in the strongest terms the suicide bomb attack on 10 November 2014 committed against the Government Science Technical School in Potiskum in Yobe State, Nigeria, which killed several dozen people, mostly students, and injured many more.

The members of the Security Council expressed their deep sympathy and condolences to the families of the victims and expressed their sympathy to all those injured in these attacks, and to the people and the Government of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

The members of the Security Council welcomed the ongoing efforts of the Government of Nigeria to protect schools and schoolchildren, as well as international efforts to provide assistance to the Nigerian authorities in this regard and bring the perpetrators to justice.  They called on the international community, in particular States in the region, to work closely with the Nigerian authorities to support the intensification of such efforts.

The members of the Security Council condemned all abuses of human rights and, where applicable, violations of international humanitarian law, including those involving killing and maiming, attacks against schools and schoolchildren, sexual and gender-based violence and abductions, and underlined that all perpetrators of such acts must be held accountable at national or international levels.

The members of the Security Council reaffirmed that terrorism in all its forms and manifestations is criminal and unjustifiable, regardless of its motivation, wherever, whenever and by whomsoever committed, and should not be associated with any religion, nationality, civilization or ethnic group.

The members of the Security Council reminded States that they must ensure that measures taken to combat terrorism comply with all their obligations under international law, in particular international human rights, refugee and humanitarian law.

The members of the Security Council reiterated their determination to combat all forms of terrorism, in accordance with its responsibilities under the Charter of the United Nations.