Powerful Nations Mobilise Forces with Jonathan to Rescue Abducted Girls

An end to the onslaught of the radical Islamic Sect Boko Haram seems to be imminent as the most powerful nations in the world at the Word Economic Forum(WEF) and outside have all pledged to combine resources with President Goodluck Jonathan to rescue hundreds of girls kidnapped from Government Girls College, Borno and exterminate the menace constituted by the sect.

Topping the list is President Barack Obama of the United States of America, former Prime Minister of Great Britain, David Brown and Prime Minister of China, Li Kegiang.

Support also came from Canada, France and some countries in Africa. The roll call include Ghana, Kenya and the rest, all pledging to mobilize forces to rescue the girls. Already about ten troops from the US Army are due in Nigeria in a matter of days, same with forces from France and Canada.

Speaking at WEF, Jonathan said the abduction of the girls will be the beginning of the end of terror in Nigeria and thanked those in attendance for defying terrorism to attend the forum.

At meeting with Jonathan in Abuja, US Ambassador to Nigeria, Mr. James Entwistle discussed ways to actualize the offer made by President Barrack Obama to assist Nigeria in rescuing the girls abducted from Chibok.

The meeting on the sidelines of the ongoing World Economic Forum on Africa was a follow-up to talks held Wednesday between Mr. Entwistle and Nigerian security officials on the United States offer of assistance.

At the talks with the Ambassador, President Jonathan reiterated Nigeria’s appreciation of the United States offer to deploy U.S. security personnel and assets to work with their Nigerian counterparts in the search and rescue operation, which was conveyed to him on Tuesday by the U.S. Secretary of State, Mr. John Kerry.

The President told Mr. Entwistle and other delegations which met separately with him at the venue of the World Economic Forum that the much greater support which Nigeria was receiving from the United States and other members of the international community in the aftermath of the Chibok abductions, will certainly help the country to rapidly overcome the Boko Haram insurgency.

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Others received by President Jonathan include the President of Ghana, Mr. John Mahama and the President of the ECOWAS Commission, Mr. Kadré Désiré Ouédraogo who brought him a message of solidarity from ECOWAS Heads of State and Government.
President Mahama informed President Jonathan that to support Nigeria’s efforts to rescue the abducted girls and defeat terrorism, ECOWAS leaders have decided to invoke the community’s protocols on counter-terrorism.

The Ghanaian leader said that a meeting of Heads of Intelligence Services of ECOWAS member-countries will hold in Accra next week to work out a new framework for intelligence sharing in support of the effort to eradicate the threat of terrorism in Nigeria and the entire West African Sub-Region.

President Jonathan also had private meetings with Prof. Klaus Schwab, the Founder of the World Economic Forum who said that Nigeria deserved the maximum solidarity of the world at this trying moment.

He later met with President Jakaya Kikwete of Tanzania, former President Lula Da Silva of Brazil and the Prime Minister of Mali, Mr. Moussa Mara all of who conveyed the solidarity of their governments and people.

The Secretary-General of the United Nations, Mr. Ban Ki Moon also spoke with President on the phone today to convey the sympathy and solidarity of the global community with the government and people of Nigeria.

Mr. Ban Ki Moon assured President Jonathan that the United Nations was ready to help Nigeria in every possible way to rescue the abducted girls and achieve greater security of lives and property in all parts of the country.