The British High Commission in Abuja has debunked a report by UK
newspaper, The Observer, which claimed that former President Goodluck Jonathan
administration rejected the offer by the British Royal Armed Force (RAF) to
help rescue over 200 Chibok schoolgirls kidnapped by Boko Haram in 2014.
The former president had swiftly denied the
allegations and urged newspapers to "always cross-check their facts before
rushing to publish false information, especially when being spread by those who
want to unfairly promote their own pride, against our own national interest"
In response to enquiries by THISDAY’s sister broadcast station, Arise News Network, the British High Commission on Tuesday, March 7th, said the allegation that the RAF was over the area for a number of months and actually located the girls within weeks, but the Nigerian government under former President Jonathan turned down its offer to rescue the girls, “was false”.
Also reinforcing this, the UK’s Permanent Representative to the United
Nations Security Council and head of the delegation to the Lake Chad region,
Ambassador Mathew Rycroft, dismissed the allegation when the question was put
forward to him during a press briefing on Monday.
"The British
High Commissioner briefed me on that today (Monday) and said that the allegations are not
true," Rycroft said.
When pressed for further clarifications by Arise TV, he directed all
enquiries to the British High Commissioner to Nigeria.
However, the British High Commission, in its statement, said “a more
cordial, collaborative and unified approach between Nigeria and her allies than
the reported differences was used”.
The statement added: “UK worked with the US and France to provide a
range of military and intelligence support to the Nigerian government in their
search (for the Chibok girls), and in fact, a wider effort to address the
longer term challenge of terrorism.
"But
importantly, we won’t comment on specific additional details, which is a matter
for the Nigerian government and the military."
Speaking on the overall objective of the visit, Rycroft said the Boko Haram
crisis was “one of the most neglected crisis and we want to shine a spotlight
on that crisis”.
The envoy also urged the global community including the governments of
the Lake Chad region to step up and respond to the crisis before it is too
late.
"Part of that
crisis is terrorism and we stand with the government and people of this region
and particularly the government of Nigeria in confronting Boko Haram in the
Lake Chad Basin region. The UN Security Council applauds the works of the
MNJTF.
"Talking about
the UN sending a peacekeeping force: that has not been requested by the
government of Nigeria, I am aware. That we can do as a bilateral agreement with
the government of Nigeria," he added.
humanitarian crisis.
humanitarian crisis.
"And in this
regard, we congratulate the government of Nigeria and Cameroun for signing the
tripartite agreement with the UNHCR last week."
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