NATO Secretary General Anders Fogh Rasmussen on Saturday denounced the suicide bombing against UN headquarters in Nigeria as a "dreadful and heinous" act.
"I was appalled to hear about the terrible bomb attacks," Rasmussen wrote in a message on behalf of the 28-nation alliance to United Nations Secretary General Ban Ki-moon.
"NATO strongly condemns these dreadful and heinous acts, which deliberately target UN staff who are devoting their lives to help others," Rasmussen wrote, sending the alliance's condolences to the families of the victims.
At least 19 people died on Friday when the bomber managed to penetrate tight security and ram his car into the building in the Nigerian capital Abuja.