Terrorism: Jonathan, U.S. envoy in crucial talks

From the international community yesterday came more support to assist Nigeria rescue the over 200 female students of Government Girls’ Secondary School, Chibok, Borno State who were abducted by Boko Haram on April 15
The latest support is coming from the United Nations, the Economic Community for West African States (ECOWAS), and others.
President Goodluck  Jonathan, who met with the United States Ambassador to Nigeria, Mr. James Entwistle to discuss modalities for the actualization of the offer made by President Barrack Obama to assist Nigeria in rescuing the girls, commended the support coming from all over the world.
The meeting which held on the sidelines of the ongoing World Economic Forum (WEF) on Africa, was a follow-up to talks held on Wednesday between Mr. Entwistle and Nigerian security officials on Washington’s offer of assistance.
Jonathan reiterated Nigeria’s appreciation of the offer to deploy American security personnel and equipment 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.
He told Entwistle and other delegations which he met separately at the venue of the Forum that the much greater support which Nigeria was receiving from Washington and other members of the international community in the aftermath of the Chibok abduction, will certainly help the country to rapidly overcome the Boko Haram insurgency.
The President also met with Ghanaian President 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 said that ECOWAS leaders have decided to invoke the community’s protocols on counter-terrorism in efforts aimed at rescuing the schoolgirls.
He said 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 terrorism in Nigeria and the entire West African sub-region.
President Jonathan also met with Prof. Klaus Schwab, the WEF Founder  who said that Nigeria deserved the maximum solidarity of the world at this trying moment.
The Secretary-General of the United Nations (UN), Mr. Ban Ki Moon, also spoke with the President on phone yesterday to convey the sympathy and solidarity of the global community with the government and people of Nigeria.
Ki Moon assured Jonathan that the UN was ready to help Nigeria rescue the girls and achieve greater security of lives and property in all parts of the country.