The U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry vowed that Washington
would do “everything possible” to help Nigeria deal with Boko Haram
insurgents, following the kidnapping of over 230 schoolgirls.
* Secretary Kerry disembarks after arriving in Juba for meeting with South Sudanese President Kiir
Kerry stated this during the official visit to Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, on May 3, 2014, Saturday.
“Let me be clear. The kidnapping of hundreds of children by Boko Haram is an unconscionable crime.
“We will do everything possible to support the Nigerian government to
return these young women to their homes and hold the perpetrators to
justice. That is our responsibility and the world’s responsibility,” he
said.
Kerry further added that both countries have been cooperating “to
strengthen Nigeria’s institutions and its military to combat Boko
Haram’s campaign of terror and violence”. For instance, the U.S.
financial aid for counter-terrorism operations amounted to $20million in
2012.
John Kerry and his delegation continued their African tour, left for
Democratic Republic of the Congo, Kinshasa, on the same day.
It would be noted that the girls’ abduction has triggered
international outrage and prompted protests in a number of Nigerian
cities, as desperate parents call on the government to secure their
release. Nigerians’ protests went global on May 3, 2014, Saturday, with
rallies in New York, Washington DC, London and other cities.
The mass kidnapping is one of the most shocking attacks in Boko
Haram’s five-year extremist uprising, which has killed thousands across
the north and centre of the country, including over 1,500 people this
year alone.
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