By Chinyere Amalu

ABUJA—The Federal Government has described as “unfortunate” last Tuesday’s earthquake in Haiti, and promised to join others in rebuilding the fallen country, including offering financial assistance.

The Minister of Foreign Affairs , Alhaji Jibril Maigari, said this, weekend, in Abuja, in a condolence message to the people and government of Haiti on behalf of the government through the Nigerian High Commissioner in Jamaica.

Haiti’s capital city, Port Au Prince, was last Tuesday hit by a devastating earthquake which claimed thousands of lives, followed with extensive destruction of properties and the country’s infrastructure.

According to Maigari, the  government also expressed condolences to families of people who lost their lives and prayed God to give them the fortitude to bear the loss.

“It was a tragic and unfortunate incident that befell Haiti. The international community has moved to assist Haiti to face the devastations and human tragedy caused by the earthquake. Nigeria will join the concerted effort to rebuild Haiti in all ways including financial assistance.”

AC flays Nigeria’s tepid response
Meantime, the Action Congress, AC, in a statement issued in Lagos, yesterday, by its National Publicity Secretary, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, expressed shock and sadness at the fate that has befallen Haiti and described the aftermath of the quake ”a devastation of apocalyptic proportion.”

The party, however, expressed dissatisfaction at the tepid response from the Nigerian government which, it said, should be at the forefront of mobilising African aid to the world’s first black republic.