'Happy Ending' Not Likely in Hunt for Nigerian Girls

Soldiers losing morale as president avoids Chibok
By Arden Dier,  Newser Staff
Posted May 16, 2014 12:17 PM CDT
'Happy Ending' Not Likely in Hunt for Nigerian Girls
A Nigerian, resident in Spain protests outside the Nigerian embassy in Madrid, Spain, Friday, May 16, 2014 in support of the kidnapped school girls in Abuja, Nigeria.   (AP Photo/Paul White)

Nigerian President Goodluck Jonathan today called off what was to be his first reported visit to Chibok since hundreds of girls were taken from the town last month. The AP reports security reasons were a factor after news of the visit leaked and reports surfaced of fresh attacks in the state by suspected Boko Haram militants. Jonathan will instead fly directly to France where he will attend a summit—along with other African leaders and officials from the UK, US, and EU—to "discuss fresh strategies for dealing with the security threat posed by Boko Haram and other terrorist groups in west and Central Africa," a statement reads, per the BBC.

Meanwhile, a US official testified at a hearing yesterday that Nigerian security forces have been "slow to adapt with new strategies and new tactics." She added, "Nigeria can be an extremely challenging partner to work with" as the US is unable to aid its military because of "troubling" atrocities committed by some units. The UK team is working with French, Israeli, and UK experts in the search for the missing girls but Nigerian forces seem to be giving up hope. "We are tired of this whole thing because we are being killed every day and we don't get the required support and care from our superiors," a soldier tells Reuters. A security source adds, "It is time we removed the thought of a very happy ending to this situation." (More Nigeria stories.)

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