News
Drones over Chibok town as search for kidnapped girls continue
United States drones have begun to fly over Nigerian skies to generate satellite imagery and surveillance, as search for more than 200 schoolgirls abducted by Islamist insurgents’ intensifies. Washington has deployed manned surveillance aircraft, and is also considering deploying unmanned drone aircraft to aid the search.
State Department spokeswoman, Jen Psaki, said: “We have shared commercial satellite imagery with the Nigerians and are flying manned ISR (intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance) assets over Nigeria with the government’s permission.” Drones are expected to increase the chances of monitoring and tracking the movements of members of Boko Haram, and the location of the abducted girls.
In a briefing on Monday, Psaki disclosed that the U.S. was also providing intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance support. Psaki also said, “U.S. teams on the ground are digging in on the search and coordinating closely with the Nigerian government as well as international partners and allies.”
International awareness and attention activated by a Twitter hashtag forced world leaders into action along with the Nigerian government. London and Washington sent military, law-enforcement and development experts to Nigeria to help. Israel and other world governments have offered help.
Global attention is on the search for the missing girls who were kidnapped by Boko Haram militants from a secondary school in Chibok in remote northeastern Nigeria on April 14. In a video posted on YouTube on Monday, the leader of Boko Haram offered to release them in exchange for members of its group being detained. However, Nigerian Interior Minister Abba Moro said swapping prisoners in exchange for the kidnapped girls is an option that is “not on the table”. Nigerian President Goodluck Jonathan said he will not sleep until the girls were brought reunited with their families.
