LAGOS, Nigeria

Nigeria’s president on Sunday condemned the attempt to assassinate former US President Donald Trump, saying that violence in a democracy is unacceptable.

In a statement, Bola Tinubu described the attack on Trump during a Saturday campaign rally in the US state of Pennsylvania as “distasteful” and “going beyond the pale of democratic norms. Violence has no place in democracy.”

Nigeria, Africa's largest democracy, stands with the US, the families of the victims of the attack, Trump and others wounded in the attack, said Tinubu, who also serves as chair of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) bloc.

Trump is seeking to retake the White House in November. During a campaign rally, a bullet pierced the upper part of his right ear. One person was reportedly killed while two were critically injured in the incident.

The suspected would-be assassin was also shot dead.