New York, 19 Dec. - (ANA) - The United Nations’ top official in West Africa has strongly condemned a series of attacks in north-eastern Nigeria which reportedly left over 30 people dead and resulted in the abduction of some 200 others.

In a press release issued late today, the Secretary-General’s Special Representative for West Africa, Mohammed Ibn Chambas, denounced the “renewed waves of attacks” in Nigeria’s Borno State and “the continuous violence against innocent civilians.”

According to media reports, militants raided a remote town in Borno State on Sunday resulting in at least 33 people killed and the large abductions of women and children. Although the identity of the attackers remains unknown, Nigeria has recently been plagued by violence committed by the Islamist terrorist group known as Boko Haram.

In his statement, Mr. Chambas extended the sympathy of the UN system to the families of the victims and the people and Government of Nigeria while also calling on the Nigerian authorities “to curb the continuous attacks taking place in the North-East and bring the perpetrators of these attacks to justice.” - (ANA)

AB/ANA/ 19 December 2014  - - -