In furtherance of efforts by the Federal Government to locate and rescue the schoolgirls abducted from the Government Girls Secondary School, Chibok, President Goodluck Jonathan has requested and received a commitment from Britain to deploy its intelligence gathering resources in support of Nigeria’s security agencies currently engaged in the search and rescue operation.
According to a press release issued by Ruben Abati, the president’s spokesman, Jonathan received the assurance on Wednesday after he spoke with the British Prime Minister, Mr. David Cameron on the phone.
He received China’s assurance in Abuja after a meeting with the nation’s Premier, Li Keqiang who is on an official visit to Nigeria.
Jonathan asked and received a promise of the deployment of British Satellite Imaging capabilities and other advanced tracking technologies in support of the ongoing effort.
The President thanked Cameron, the British Government and people for their concern over the fate of the abducted girls and their willingness to provide concrete assistance to save the girls from the terrorists who seized them from their school.
He told the Prime Minister that the Ministry of Foreign Affairs will liaise with the British Government through its High Commission in Nigeria to work out practical details of the promised support and collaboration against terrorism.
In talks with President Jonathan earlier today, Keqiang promised that his country will make any useful information acquired by its satellites and intelligence services available to Nigeria’s security agencies.
He assured the Jonathan that China will support Nigeria’s fight against terrorism in every possible way, including the training of military personnel for anti-insurgency operations.
