US Plane Spots Suspected Schoolgirls Kidnapped by Boko Haram
19 October 2018 19:36 WIB
TEMPO.CO, Abuja - Surveillance photos from US spy planes flying over Nigeria reveals large groups of girls in remote locations, raising hopes that they may be the schoolgirls abducted by Boko Haram in April.
The Wall Street Journal reported that US officials said a surveillance flight over north-eastern Nigeria spotted a group of 60-70 girls being held in a remote field. Late last month, a second flight spotted a group of 40 girls in a different field.
However, US intelligence officials said that they did not have enough detail to confirm whether or not the girls were from among the 219 abducted from a boarding school earlier this year by the Islamic extremist organization.
Meanwhile, Nigerian President Goodluck Jonathan is under tremendous pressure to agree to a prisoner swap with Boko Haram to secure the girls.
In Washington, President Barack Obama has said before African leaders that the United States are to help Nigeria face Boko Haram. However, former America Ambassador to Nigeria, John Campbell, told the Australian Federal Police (AFP) that Nigeria was not in for a cooperation with the US in facing Boko Haram.
He said that US aid and intel would be in vain, given that Nigeria was one among most corrupt nations in the world.
NEWS.COM.AU | VIQIANSAH DENNIS
