President Goodluck Jonathan has accepted the offer made by President Barack Obama to deploy United States troops 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, disclosed 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 Girls 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 US 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.”
Meanwhile, some elders from the North Eastern 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 region.
Three states of the region: Adamawa, Borno and Yobe are currently under emergency rule which Jonathan declared last year May following escalating violence.
Some Northern elders had kicked against the renewal of the rule at expiration in May.
Those who attended the meeting did not speak with journalists at the end of the parley that lasted about two hours.
Among those who were 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
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