Jonathan accepts US military offer

Jonathan accepts US military offer

The Presidency, meanwhile, said on  Tuesday that President Goodluck Jonathan had accepted an offer made by the US President Barack Obama to deploy American security experts and equipment in Nigeria to assist in locating the schoolgirls abducted from Government Secondary School, Chibok, Borno State, on April 14.

Special Adviser to the President on Media and Publicity, Dr. Reuben Abati, said this in a statement on Tuesday.

Abati said the offer of assistance was conveyed to Jonathan by the US Secretary of State, John Kerry, in a telephone conversation he initiated on behalf of Obama.

He said shortly after the telephone conversation, the President also met with security chiefs in continuation of efforts aimed at rescuing the schoolgirls.

Abati said the President approved some of the recommendations made during the meeting for further actions.

The statement read, “President Goodluck Jonathan Tuesday welcomed and accepted a definite offer of help from the United States of America in the ongoing effort to locate and rescue the girls abducted from the Government Secondary School, Chibok three weeks ago.

“The offer from President Barack Obama, which was conveyed to President Jonathan by the United States Secretary of State, Mr. John Kerry, in a telephone conversation which began at 15.30 hours today, includes the deployment of U.S. security personnel and assets to work with their Nigerian counterparts in the search and rescue operation.

“Mr. Kerry assured President Jonathan that the United States is wholly committed to giving Nigeria all required support and assistance to save the abducted girls and bring the reign of terror unleashed on parts of the country by Boko Haram to an end.

“Thanking Mr. Kerry for the call and offer of further assistance, President Jonathan told him that Nigeria’s security agencies who were already working at full capacity to find and rescue the abducted girls would appreciate the deployment of American counter-insurgency know-how and expertise in support of their efforts.

“After speaking with the United States Secretary of State, President Jonathan today met with the Chief of Defence Staff, Service Chiefs and heads of national security agencies in continuation of the national efforts to find and rescue the abducted girls.

“The President received updates on the ongoing search and rescue effort, and gave approval for recommended further actions.”

‘FG’ll find the missing girls’

The President however also said on Tuesday that the abducted Chibok schoolgirls would be rescued and reunited with their parents.

Jonathan, who spoke while inaugurating a presidential committee on the rescue of the abducted Chibok students at the Presidential Villa, said the Federal Government would do everything to rescue the girls. The committee is chaired by Brig.-Gen. Ibrahim Sabo.

Curiously, the President’s wife, Patience, had declared on Monday that “no girl is missing” and that if the girls were missing at all the Governor of Borno State, Kassim Shetima, should search for them.

The President said, “I am appreciative of the fact that this sad incident has attracted global outrage. This is a clear testimony to the fact that humanity can come together and stand as one against evil, no matter how it is presented.

“This is the time when we must bond together beyond all political, religious or regional divide against our common enemy. We must remain vigilant and be ready to assist security agencies and authorities at all time.

“We must keep supporting the families who for seeking education for their daughters are undergoing untold pains at this moment.

“Let me assure the families and our dear daughters that in conjunction with international community, government will do everything possible to get our girls back.”

The President clarified that the committee was neither a judicial committee nor an administrative panel.

Meanwhile, representatives of the Borno State Government and the UN were absent from the inauguration.

While the state government was asked to nominate two representatives, preferably women, the UN was asked to nominate one representative.

The committee’s terms of reference include: to liaise with the Borno State Government and establish the circumstances leading to the school remaining open for boarding students when other schools were closed; to liaise with relevant authorities and the parents of the missing girls to establish the actual number and identities of the girls abducted; and to interface with the Security Services and Borno State Government to ascertain how many of the missing girls have returned;

Others are to mobilise the surrounding communities and the general public on citizen support for a rescue strategy and operation; to articulate a framework for a multi-stakeholder action for the rescue of the missing girls; and to advise the Federal Government on any matter incidental to the terms of reference.

 North-East leaders at the Villa

Meanwhile, some elders from the North-East part of the country, led by a former Minister of Finance, Mallam Adamu Ciroma, met behind closed doors with the President on Tuesday in continuation of efforts to end insurgency in the zone.

Three states of the zone, Adamawa, Borno and Yobe are currently under emergency rule, declared by Jonathan in May 2013, following escalating violence.

Those who attended the meeting did not speak with journalists at the end of the consultation that lasted for about two hours.

On the delegation were Prof. Jubril Aminu, Alhaji Shettima Mustapha, Ambassador Babangana Kingibe, Alhaji Ibrahim Bunu, Alhaji Khalifa Yusuf and Alhaji Muhammed Kirfi, among others.