December 12, 2014 - Foreign Affairs Minister John Baird today issued the following statement:
“Canada forcefully condemns the terrorist attack that killed at least 30 innocent civilians in a busy marketplace in Jos, Nigeria.
“On behalf of all Canadians, I offer my sincere condolences to the families and friends of those killed and wish a speedy recovery to the injured.
“This horrific terrorist attack only further exacerbates religious tensions in that part of Nigeria. Canada calls on Nigeria’s leaders to work to diffuse any tensions between religious communities in Jos.
“Attacks like these only serve to strengthen our resolve in the fight against terrorism and to work toward upholding the fundamental right of Nigerians to religious freedom.”
Jos has a mixed population of Muslims and Christians. No group has claimed responsibility for these attacks, but in recent years Boko Haram militants have attacked churches and mosques, killing more than 2,000 people this year alone.
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