As the Regional Summit on security came to a close Saturday in Paris, France, President Goodluck Jonathan defended his decision not to visit Chibok, where over 200 schoolgirls were abducted by Boko Haram over a month ago.
The Summit was convened by President Francois Hollande of France and attended by the Presidents of Niger, Cameroon, Tchad and Benin Republic, as well as representatives of the United States, United Kingdom and the European Union.
Fielding questions at a news conference after the Summit at Elysee Palace, President Jonathan noted that what is important for now is to rescue the girls, adding that visiting the town would add no value to the rescue operation.
He recalled that he had visited bomb scenes in the past but insisted that the Chibok issue is different since the girls are yet to be rescued.
“These girls are not held in Chibok. Sometime, people want the President to go to Chibok. If the President goes to Chibok today, it does not solve any problem.
“The problem facing the President and indeed the Nigerian government is how to get these girls from wherever they are,” Jonathan said.
On Thursday, Nigerian media was awash with the news of the President’s planned visit to Chibok, Borno State on Friday.
However, contrary to expectation, the President flew directly to Paris rather than from Chibok as earlier speculated.
The Director-General of National Orientation Agency, Mike Omeri, later said the President never planned to visit Chibok.
