No Nigerian died in Kenyan attacks

Nigerians in Kenya were fortunate to escape the weekend attack by terrorists on Westgate Mall in Nairobi Kenya, it was learnt on Wednesday.

Al-Shabab terrorists from Somalia had claimed responsibility for the attack in which no fewer than 62 people had been confirmed dead on Tuesday.

In a teleconference in Abuja on Wednesday, the Nigerian High Commissioner to Kenya, Akin Oyateru, who spoke from Nairobi said Nigerians in Kenya were having a meeting at a nearby hotel during the attack.

He described the attack as “a tragic incident” which should be condemned by all nations.

He said, “On that particular day, we had a pan-Nigerian meeting at one of the hotels in the city centre, therefore a large percentage of our people were at that location. On hearing the news, we tried to secure them as best as possible by beefing up security around them before they left for home.”

Oyateru, who put the unofficial figure of Nigerians living in Kenya at about 2,500, however, said, “No Nigerian was affected or suffered any casualty  or injuries.

“I can confirm to you that we are all safe in Nairobi and fortunately, no Nigerian was affected in the attack. But our heart goes to the bereaved families and we wish the injured ones a very quick recovery.

“We have been to the rescue centre, we went through the list and we found no Nigerian name on the list of the dead or the injured,” he added.

Backing the position of Kenyan government not to withdraw its troop from the African Union Mission in Somalia as demanded by terrorist from Somalia, Oyateru said Nigeria would maintain its police contingent in Somali.

Meanwhile, Samantha Lewthwaite, the British widow known as “White Widow” accused of masterminding the despicable terrorist attack on Kenyan shopping mall was in Nigeria and evaded detection, according to a report in the Daily Mirror, UK based newspaper.

Nigeria Communications Week could not independently confirm the Daily Mirror’s claim as at the time of filing this report.

The Mirror’s report was however typical of reporting Africa in Western media style, complete with maligning words and aspersions on Nigeria’s security system.

According to the Mirror, “In Nigeria, where police forces are notoriously corrupt, there were reports she (Lewthwaite) was almost caught a while ago, but she bribed her way out of trouble.”