The United Nations (UN) has renewed its commitment to remembering the victims of the deadly 2011 bombing of its headquarters in Abuja, as the organisation marked the 15th anniversary of the terrorist attack.

UN Secretary-General António Guterres paid tribute to the victims on Wednesday, recalling the attack that claimed 23 lives, including 11 UN personnel, and injured many others.

“On this day 15 years ago, the horrific terrorist attack on the United Nations House in Abuja claimed the lives of 23 people, including 11 UN colleagues, and left many more injured,” Guterres said.

He added: “Today and every day, we remember the fallen and their families, and the survivors, and continue to carry their legacy in our hearts and our work.”

The attack occurred on 26 August 2011 when a suicide bomber drove a vehicle into the UN House in Abuja and detonated explosives. The blast devastated parts of the building and killed UN staff members and other people at the complex.

The attack was later claimed by Boko Haram and became one of the most significant terrorist attacks in Nigeria’s capital at the time. It also raised serious concerns about security around international organisations and diplomatic facilities in the country.

The United Nations subsequently strengthened security arrangements around its operations in Nigeria, while continuing its humanitarian and development work in the country.

The damaged UN House was eventually renovated and reopened in 2019. The organisation has continued to commemorate the victims, with a memorial ceremony held in Abuja on the 10th anniversary of the attack in 2021.

Fifteen years after the bombing, the UN’s latest tribute has again brought attention to the victims, their families and survivors, while keeping alive the memory of those who lost their lives in the line of duty.

The anniversary also comes as the Nigerian courts continue proceedings against suspects linked to the bombing. One of the defendants, Mohammed Bashir Saleh, has previously given evidence in the terrorism trial over the attack.