Abducted schoolgirls: Nigerian Government anxious to end insurgency – Sambo

The Vice President, Architect Mohammed Namadi Sambo, has expressed the deep concern of government over the Boko Haram insurgency, the kidnap of the Government Secondary School girl-students in Chibok, Borno State and the coordinated efforts to end the menace.
Sambo when the Canadian Minister of International Development and La Francophonie, Christian Paradis, paid him a courtesy call in his office in Abuja.
Sambo noted the continued excellent relationship between Nigeria and Canada and stated that the issue of security, maternal and child welfare, power and solid minerals development and conduct of free, fair and transparent election in 2015 were on the front burner of the administration’s Transformation Agenda.
He added: “Government is doing everything possible to ensure the safe release of the kidnapped schoolgirls in Chibok.”
The vice president admonished Nigerians that as the 2015 elections approach, politics should not be played with serious matters of state such as security.
He pleaded for support and assistance from Canada in areas of surveillance equipments and other vital security hardware that would enhance Nigeria’s capacity in addressing insurgency.
He also craved for support in addressing other international crises such as those of Southern Sudan, Kenya and Mali just to mention a few.
Sambo expressed his happiness on the strengthening of bilateral relations between both countries, which document was to be signed same day.
He assured the international community that, like the 2011 elections, the 2015 elections would be free, fair and transparent as the Independent National Electoral Commission was working round-the-clock to ensure the success of the exercise.
He also assured the Canadian envoy that the Anti-Gay Right Act was not enacted to violate the rights of any Nigerian and that Nigerians who are seeking for asylum in Canada on violation of their fundamental human rights were doing so on false claims.
He said the religious nature of the Nigerian society was responsible for the enactment of such a law.
On solid minerals development, the vice president said the sector, which hitherto was dormant, has been geared to be able to fully explore our mineral resources.
He directed the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Aminu Wali; the Supervising Minister of National Planning, Ambassador Bashir Yuguda; and the Nigerian High Commissioner to Canada, Chief Ojo Madueke, to liaise with Canadian institutions that were ready to partner and support Nigeria in developing her extractive industry.
On the post MDG’s new goals, the vice president assured Canada of government’s will to ensure that the maternal and child welfare was part of the new definitions.
Earlier, Paradis had remarked on the collaboration between Nigeria and Canada in fighting terrorism, strengthening bilateral relations on major issues, foreign investment agreement and on the long-standing partnership on maternal and child welfare to ensure that the most vulnerable people were reached.
He also remarked on the preparation of February 2015 elections and the need to collaborate to ensure the success of its conduct.
He urged the government to ensure that the same-sex law does not affect people’s fundamental human rights and the need to ensure that the mining sector was a blessing to the people.