NIGERIAN President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has extended his condolences to Morocco’s ruler, King Mohammed VI, following the earthquake which occurred on Friday, September 8 and claimed over 1,000 lives.
In a statement by his Special Adviser on Media and Publicity Ajuri Ngelale, on Saturday, September 9, Tinubu commiserated with everyone affected by the disaster and wished those injured a quick recovery.
“In the face of this adversity, Nigeria will continue to stand in solidarity with Morocco as they recover, rebuild and come out stronger than ever from this unfortunate event,” the statement read.
The earthquake occurred in the Marrakesh area of Morocco. There has been difficulty in reaching affected citizens in remote parts of the country.
Also affected by the earthquake is one of Morocco’s nine United Nations Educational Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) Heritage sites, the Medieval Walls of Marrakesh’s Old City, Medina, first laid in the early 12th Century.
According to the United States Geological Survey, the earthquake is the strongest to hit that part of Morocco in more than 120 years.
It is also worse than the 2004 earthquake in the country, which claimed at least 628 lives, leaving 926 people injured.
About 2,539 houses collapsed, including 2,498 in rural areas due to the 2004 earthquake.
Several countries have begun helping Morocco, including France, Israel, the US, and the United Arab Emirates (UAE).
Prime Minister of India Narendra Modi shared condolences to those affected by the earthquake while opening the G20 Summit on Saturday.
It was reported that the death toll was about 820, but this has now risen to over a thousand.
Moroccan monarch Mohammed VI has ordered the country’s Armed Forces to mobilise air and land assets to rescue some citizens trapped in remote parts of the country.
Ijeoma Opara is a journalist with The ICIR. Reach her via [email protected] or @ije_le on Twitter.