"Chibok schoolgirls will be rescued soon" - President Jonathan

The Council of State, made up of former heads of government, on Tuesday held its second meeting in the year and came out with a promise that the abducted pupils of Government Secondary School, Chibok, Borno State, would soon be rescued.

More than 200 girls were seized from the school on the night of April 14 by members of the terrorist Islamic sect, Boko Haram. The incident has attracted global condemnation and protests. Almost 90 days in the custody of the terrorists, there have been many not-too-pleasant stories about the welfare of the girls.

But briefing journalists at the end of the Council meeting, presided over by President Goodluck Jonathan, Akwa Ibom State Governor Godswill Akpabio said the military high command had given assurances that the girls were safe and would soon be rescued.

Akpabio said the council was satisfied that those security agents knew where the girls had been kept and that the soldiers were on top of the situation.

He said, “Top on the agenda of the meeting was the security of the nation. We were briefed by the President and the National Security Adviser on the steps that are being taken.

“Top on the security issue was the rescue of Chibok girls, which military authorities also confirmed that efforts were being made and that very soon we will have good news.

“It is also heart-warming to note that the issue is not whether we can rescue the girls, but the issue is how can we rescue them in a way that we can ensure their safety so that we don’t end up endangering their lives in the attempt to rescue them?”

He advised that Nigerians be patient in view of the worsening insecurity in the country, stressing that terrorism was a new development in the nation and that it would take time to put an end to it.

Akpabio said, “What also came out is the need for Nigerians to be patient because terrorism is a new challenge in Nigeria and it is not something that goes away immediately and we have to be meticulous in our approach and make sure that we take the best steps forward to reduce and minimise possible loss of lives in an attempt to curb the insurgents.

“We are very satisfied the security agents know very well where the girls are located and they are on top of the situation.”

At the meeting were ex-Presidents Olusegun Obasanjo and Shehu Shagari; former heads of state, Yakubu Gowon and Abdulsalami Abubakar; ex-military dictator, Ibrahim Babangida; and former Head of the Interim National Government, Ernest Shonekan.