Abducted girls: Kalu commends US for offering to assist Nigeria

Eminent businessman and former Governor of Abia State, Dr. Orji Kalu, has commended President Barack Obama for offering to assist Nigeria locate and rescue the girls abducted by members of Boko Haram from the Government Girls Secondary School in Chibok, Borno State.
The girls were abducted about three weeks ago.
The US offer to help locate and free the girls was made on Tuesday to President Goodluck Jonathan by Obama through the United States Secretary of State, John Kerry.
Kalu, who had a fortnight ago while speaking with airport correspondents at the departure hall of the Murtala Mohammed International Airport, Lagos urged the Nigerian Government to seek foreign assistance to curb the activities of the terrorists, said on Wednesday that the move by the US was a right step in the right direction.
In a statement by his Special Adviser, Oyekunle Oyewumi, Kalu was quoted as also having commended President Jonathan for accepting the offer of the US to assist with the recovery of the girls.
Kalu in the statement said for the country to curb the insurgency in the North East, the government needed to partner with world security agencies with vast knowledge in dealing with terrorism since it is a new phenomenon to Nigeria.
He said without this, Boko Haram would keep riding roughshod over Nigeria and Nigerians.
He further explained that for the country to win the insurgency war, it could not afford to be enemies to countries such as the United States of America, Germany, United Kingdom and even China, maintaining that anyone telling the government to work against the interests of these powers was acting from the position of ignorance.
Kalu, who is currently in the United Kingdom, said: “President Jonathan’s acceptance of the offer is a demonstration of patriotism and good leadership.
“The US has the capacity to support Nigeria through deployment of counter-insurgency know how, expertise and forces.
“It is our firm belief that the assistance will go a long way in curbing the security challenges facing Nigeria.
“Indeed, no nation is an island.
“We need to support one another to maintain global peace and make the world a peaceful place to live.”
The former governor urged other advanced nations to emulate the US by supporting developing nations in all ramifications.