Blame FG Over Failure To Rescue Schoolgirls – US

The United States has said that Nigerians should hold the federal government responsible for the seeming lack of progress in rescuing over 200 schoolgirls abducted in Chibok, Borno State on April 14,Premium Timesreports. The US is among several Western countries assisting Nigeria in the search for the girls and the battle against Boko Haram, sect. Reacting to questions about how useful the collaboration has been, Ambassador Phillip Carter of the US African Command (AFRICOM), said the US government is only assisting the Nigerian government on the kidnap that has sparked protests across the globe. He said, “Fundamentally, the question of what this is achieving, that is a question you should pose to the Nigerian government and not AFRICOM.” Carter, who spoke during the 6th US Africa Command Academic Symposium in Accra, Ghana, explained the existing partnership with the Nigerian government on efforts to rescue the girls. He said, “We were asked by the leadership of Nigeria to provide help to the Nigerian government to deal with the horrible phenomenon, Boko Haram. We have an inter-agency, inter-government effort with the Nigerian government run through our embassy in Abuja under our ambassador.” According to the online, the ambassador also debunked rumours that the US government is leading any operation in Nigeria. Carter said AFRICOM’s core engagement with Nigeria includes locating the girls and improving the Nigerian security forces’ capacity to manage information. He said, “AFRICOM is not leading Nigerian soldiers to do anything. We are not putting any equipment on the ground. We are only to support them. That is the directives of President Barack Obama and the request of President Goodluck Jonathan.”