Gov.
Shettima of Borno state of Nigeria where the girls were abducted says he has
information on the whereabouts of about 200 schoolgirls kidnapped by Islamist
group Boko Haram.
Governor
Kashim Shettima said he had passed reports of the sightings of the girls to the
military for verification that he did not think the girls had been taken across
the border to Chad or Cameroon.
Earlier, France’s President, Francois Hollande, offered to host a summit on Boko Haram.
“I
suggested, with Nigerian President Goodluck Jonathan, a meeting of Nigeria’s
neighbouring countries” Hollande said.
“If
the countries agree, it should take place next Saturday” he added.
Countries
neighbouring Nigeria, such as Cameroon, Niger and Chad, would be invited to the
security summit.
Aides
said the US, UK and EU would also be likely to attend. The US, UK and France
have already pledged technical assistance to the Nigerian government.
Meanwhile,
President Jonathan said an Israeli counter-terrorism team would arrive in
Nigeria to help in searching for the schoolgirls, who were abducted last month.
French
troops entered Mali last year to push out al-Qaeda affiliated militants.
Both
the US and UK distanced themselves from suggestions that they would send
soldiers to take part in the military operation in the vast North of Nigeria.
“There’s
no intention at this point to be putting any American boots on the ground” said
the US Defence Secretary Chuck Hagel on Sunday.
UK
Prime Minister David Cameron said it was unlikely Nigeria would ask for British
troops to help, but he added: “I said to President Jonathan where we can help,
please ask, and we will see what we can do.”
“I
rang the Nigerian president to offer anything that would be helpful and we
agreed to send out a team that includes some counter-terrorism and intelligence
experts to work alongside the bigger American team that’s going out there.”
Mr. Cameron later tweeted his support for a hashtag aimed at raising
awareness of the abductions.
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