The attack on the convoy of US embassy employees by as-yet-unidentified gunmen on Tuesday in Ogbaru Local Government Area of Anambra State has been denounced by the US.
According to The PUNCH, this was stated by the US Secretary of State, Antony Blinken, in a press statement obtained by journalists.
Five US Embassy workers and four Nigerian Police officers were among the nine Nigerians in the attacked convoy.
They were making the trip in preparation for a visit to a US-funded flood response project in Anambra by members of the US Mission.
Four people in the convoy were slain, at the very least.
Blinken said that the United States was assisting Nigerian authorities in apprehending the perpetrators.
He said “We do not yet know the motive for the attack, but we have no indications at this time that it was targeted against our Mission. The assailants killed at least four members of the convoy and U.S. Mission personnel are working urgently with Nigerian counterparts to ascertain the location and condition of the members of the convoy who are unaccounted for.
“We condemn in the strongest terms this attack. We will work closely with our Nigerian law enforcement colleagues in seeking to bring those responsible to justice.
“The United States has no greater priority than the safety and security of our personnel. We express our heartfelt condolences to the families of those killed in the attack, and pledge to do everything possible to safely recover those who remain missing. We deeply value our relationship with our Locally Employed Staff and our partnership with Nigeria.”
Blinken continued by saying that the US had reiterated its commitment to working with the Nigerian people to combat violence and instability.
