I have Spoken To Barrack Obama Twice On Nigeria's Security Challenges..Goodluck

President Goodluck Jonathan Sunday disclosed that his government was seeking United States President Barack Obama's help to overcome  the  nation's current security challenges.

He also said Nigeria had approached other world powers like France, United Kingdom and China for help to tackle the insecurity in some parts of the country.
Speaking during the latest edition of the presidential media chat - a radio-television live interview – Jonathan said: "The United States is number one. I have talked to President Obama at least twice" concerning the nation’s security challenges.

Nigeria has been battling insurgents in the nation’s North-east states of Adamawa, Borno and Yobe which are currently under state of emergency. However, despite the deployment of huge military assets to the affected states, the deadly militant sect, Boko Haram, has been carrying out a campaign of terror,  with the latest being the abduction of over 100 schoolgirls in Chibok, Borno State - a development that has attracted global outrage.

But as the search for these abducted girls continues and following the controversy surrounding their actual number  and names, President Jonathan has called on the parents of the girls to come forward with their photographs to enable the military rescue them from wherever they are.

He said while he sympathised with the parents of the girls, they needed to assist the military with their identities so that they could be rescued.
Jonathan, who also decried the politicisation of the matter, called for the cooperation of all concerned so as to bring an end to their tragic abduction.

According to the president, “The security personnel have searched everywhere but because of the situation on ground, people are not seeing their efforts. We have deployed sophisticated equipment to scan the area and we will continue to do so.  I sympathise with their parents because girls of that age in that kind of situation is depressing.

“I have met with the principal of the school, the state commissioner of education and the governor of the state and we have had reasonable discussion on the matter. Let me assure all Nigerians that we are doing our best. Reports that we are not doing enough are not true. All we are asking for is the cooperation of all including the parents of the abducted girls.

“Today, there are conflicting figures as to the number of girls that have returned. While the police said 44 of them have returned, their parents said 55 have returned. Notwithstanding, I am going to do everything I can to ensure that those girls are returned to their parents and the perpetrators will face justice.”

Jonathan also denied that his government was negotiating with the abductors, stressing that no group has claimed responsibility for the act.

On how long Nigerians would have to wait before the girls are freed, he stated that government needs every assistance it can get to resolve the matter.

“The whole world has been searching for the missing Malaysian flight MH370 with the best technology available without results. We are doing everything we can and will continue to do so until the girls are freed,” he said.

He said rumours that the girls had been married out were misleading because nobody had come out to say who they were married to.

“These are rumours that cannot be substantiated.  I enjoin locals in Chibok to come and give us useful information because we believe the girls must be around that area,” he stated