#BringBackOurGirls: France, China, Canada join US, UK to rescue girls

The build-up of an international coalition ready to assist Nigeria in locating and rescuing the more than 200 schoolgirls abducted in Chibok, Borno State by Boko Haram terrorists three weeks ago got a boost, yesterday, as France and China and Canada joined the United States and the United Kingdom in the search and rescue operation.

Both the US and the UK had earlier given their word to President Goodluck Jonathan to assist Nigeria.

The abduction of the girls had triggered series of protests across Nigeria and in some other countries, with protesters demanding that world leaders should take drastic actions to rescue the girls. The Twitter hash-tag,‘#BringBackOurGirls’, put together to push the rescue of the girls, is trending globally, with prominent world leaders lending their voice and support to the demand for their freedom.

France joins rescue efforts

France, yesterday, offered to send security service agents to Nigeria to help recover the abducted girls. Reuters quoted French Foreign Minister, Laurent Fabius as telling French lawmakers that “the President has instructed that we put the intelligence services at the disposal of Nigeria and neighbouring countries. This morning he asked us to contact the Nigerian President to tell him that a specialised unit with all the means we have in the region was at the disposal of Nigeria to help find and recover these young girls.”

He added: “In the face of such ignominy, France must react. This crime cannot be left unpunished,” Fabius said.