Blinken condemns attack on US convoy in Nigeria

Secretary of State Antony Blinken condemned the attack by unknown assailants on a U.S. convoy in Nigeria, which left four people dead, including two staff members of the U.S. Consulate in the country.

“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,” Blinken said in a statement. “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 attack, which happened on Tuesday in the Anambra state in the south of the country, hit a convoy carrying nine Nigerian nationals, the State Department said. Five of them were employees of the U.S. Mission in the country and four were members of the Nigerian Police Force. 

Blinken said the convoy was on its way to join a U.S.-funded flood response in the region. He said that the U.S. was working “urgently” with Nigerian officials to “ascertain the location and condition of the members of the convoy who are unaccounted for.”

“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,” Blinken said.

White House spokesperson John Kirby said Tuesday that no U.S. citizens were harmed in the attack.

“What I can tell you is that no U.S. citizens were involved, and therefore, there were no U.S. citizens hurt,” Kirby said. “But we are aware of some casualties, perhaps even some killed.”