The girls were taken three weeks ago, sparking global outrage, and the mass kidnapping may constitute a crime against humanity, according to the UN.
This week, Boko Haram chief Abubakar Shekau claimed responsibility, saying his extreme Islamist group was holding the schoolgirls as “slaves” and threatening to “sell them in the market”, in a video obtained by AFP.
“It’s a heartbreaking situation, outrageous situation,” Obama said in an interview with US broadcaster ABC on Tuesday.
But, he said, “this may be the event that helps to mobilize the entire international community to finally do something against this horrendous organization that’s perpetrated such a terrible crime.”
Obama confirmed that Nigeria had accepted a US offer to send a team of experts to help find the missing girls, saying “we’ve already sent in a team to Nigeria,” consisting of “military, law enforcement, and other agencies.”
This team will work to “identify where in fact these girls might be and provide them help,” the US president said, denouncing Boko Haram as “one of the worst regional or local terrorist organizations.”
Though initially slow to emerge, global outrage has flared over the mass abduction, when Boko Haram stormed a school and loaded the girls at gunpoint onto trucks on April 14, 2014.
Several managed to escape but over 220 girls are still being held, according to police.
Meanwhile, Reuben Abati yesterday made it known that GEJ has accepted the US's offer to send security personnel to Nigeria to help locate missing Chibok girls. Read his statement below:
President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan yesterday welcomed and accepted the 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 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.
Reuben Abati
Special Adviser
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