Nigeria leader, U.N. vow to work on after headquarters bombing

ABUJA, Nigeria -- Nigeria will bring terrorism "under control" and confront the radical Muslim sect that claimed responsibility for a car bombing at the country's United Nations headquarters, killing at least 19 people, its president vowed Saturday amid the wreckage.

President Goodluck Jonathan stepped through shattered glass and past dried pools of blood at the damaged building as U.N. employees salvaged printers, computers and all they could carry to keep the mission running.

The U.N.'s top official in Nigeria promised humanitarian aid would continue to flow through the world body to Africa's most populous nation, even though the Boko Haram sect -- which claimed responsibility for the attack -- views it as a target.

"I think it gives us more strength to continue helping the population," said Agathe Lawson, the U.N.'s acting resident coordinator in Nigeria.

Meanwhile, a spokesman for the feared sect told journalists in its home of northeast Nigeria that it considers the U.S, the U.N. and the Nigerian government the "common enemies" in its fight, promising future attacks.

Jonathan walked by the battered exit gate the suicide bomber rammed through to reach the massive U.N. building's glass reception hall Friday morning. There, the bomber detonated explosives powerful enough to bring down parts of the concrete structure and blow out glass windows from other buildings.