Chibok Schoolgirls: U.S. to deploy security personnel to Nigeria

John Kerry, U.S Secretary of States

President Goodluck Jonathan yesterday 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, Borno State, three weeks ago.
This was disclosed in a press statement by the Special Adviser to the President on Media and Publicity, Reuben Abati, on Tuesday evening.
Mr. Abati said 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”.
According to the statement, 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, Mr. Abati said.
The spokesperson said after speaking with the United States Secretary of State, President Jonathan 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.
There has been widespread outrage since over 200 girls were kidnapped from their school dormitory on the night of April 14.
The Boko Haram insurgent group has claimed responsibility for the kidnap and has threatened to sell and marry off the girls, mostly teenagers.