The
governor of Nigeria’s Borno state 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.
Mr Shettima added that he did not think the girls had been taken across the border to Chad or Cameroon.
Earlier, France’s president offered to host a summit on Boko Haram.
“I suggested, with Nigerian President Goodluck Jonathan, a meeting of Nigeria’s neighbouring countries” Francois 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 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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