After a bombing in a marketplace in Yola, Nigeria killed dozens of citizens and injured many more, Facebook has again activated its Safety Check in a time of terror. This is the second time the company’s feature has been used in the wake of a terrorist attack, the first being the bombings and shootings that took place in Paris, France on Friday.
The blast killed at least 32 people and wounded 80 others. No one has claimed responsibility for the attacks, but it is thought to be the work of Boko Haram, an Islamic extremist group that was also responsible for the disappearance of hundreds of schoolgirls in 2014.
The decision to activate Safety Check also comes after the company drew criticism for activating the feature for the attack in Paris, but not an attack in Beirut, Lebanon that killed more than 40 people.
“Unfortunately, these kinds of events are all too common, so I won’t post about all of them,” CEO Mark Zuckerberg said in a post on the platform. “A loss of human life anywhere is a tragedy, and we’re committed to doing our part to help people in more of these situations.”
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Those possibly affected by the situation in Nigeria will be able to notify their loved ones of their safety.
“Every member of our community spreads empathy and understanding on a daily basis,” Zuckerberg added. “We are all connecting the world together. And if we all do our part, then one day there may no longer be attacks like this.”
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