TheCable

President Goodluck Jonathan says he will “not sleep with two eyes closed” until the over-200 girls kidnapped in Chibok by Boko Haram are rescued.

He stated this at a world press conference to mark the end of the World Economic Forum on Africa (WEFA) hosted in Abuja.

Jonathan appealed to the parents of the abducted girls to be patient and cooperate with government, and he expressed belief that the girls and their abductors were still within Nigeria. He assured them that with the support of the international community, the girls would be safely rescued.

“We plead with the parents. As a father, and the president of this country, I feel pain and I don’t sleep with my two eyes closed,” he said.

“And I will not sleep with my two eyes closed until these girls are brought safely back to their parents. The attackers are in a part of Borno State described as Sambisa Forest. It is a forest area; and we are working with the experts that will use remote sensor to see that wherever they are. Of course, I agree that there are stories that they have moved outside the country but if they move that number of girls to Cameroon, people will see.”

On the speculations that there was slow response to the kidnap, the president stated that it was not so when it happened.

”It is a misconception; the response is not slow,” he said.

“I have explained this that Borno State can be described as the headquarters of the terrorists, because they are more in Borno State, than in Yobe and Adamawa. These are the three states we have declared state of emergency already. So, they have military personnel in that state’.”

The president appreciated the organiser of the WEF for bringing the whole world to Nigeria, especially at the period the nation is facing terror attacks.