I have had to remain quiet about the continuing efforts by Nigeria’s
military, police and investigators to find the girls kidnapped in April
from the town of Chibok by the terrorist group Boko Haram. I am deeply
concerned, however, that my silence as we work to accomplish the task at
hand is being misused by partisan critics to suggest inaction or even
weakness.
My silence has been necessary to avoid compromising the details of our
investigation. But let me state this unequivocally: My government and our
security and intelligence services have spared no resources, have not
stopped and will not stop until the girls are returned home and the thugs
who took them are brought to justice. On my orders, our forces have
aggressively sought these killers in the forests of northern Borno state,
where they are based. They are fully committed to defending the integrity
of their country.
My heart aches for the missing children and their families. I am a parent
myself, and I know how awfully this must hurt. Nothing is more important
to me than finding and rescuing our girls.
Since 2010, thousands of people have been killed, injured, abducted or
forced by Boko Haram, which seeks to overwhelm the country and impose its
ideology on all Nigerians. My government is determined to make that
impossible. We will not succumb to the will of terrorists.
The abduction of our children cannot be seen as an isolated event.
Terrorism knows no borders. This month, Nigeria, Benin, Cameroon, Chad,
Niger, Britain and the United States established an External Intelligence
Response Unit to share security information on such threats in West
Africa. I propose that we build on this step to establish an enduring,
worldwide commitment to destroying terrorism and those who finance or give
safe haven to the terrorists.
In September, I will urge the U.N. General Assembly to establish a
U.N.-coordinated system for sharing intelligence and, if necessary,
special forces and law enforcement to confront terrorism wherever it
occurs.
In Nigeria, there are political, religious and ethnic cleavages to
overcome if we are to defeat Boko Haram. We need greater understanding and
outreach between Muslims and Christians. We also know that, as it seeks to
recruit the gullible, Boko Haram exploits the economic disparities that
remain a problem in our country. We are addressing these challenges
through such steps as bringing stakeholders together and creating a safe
schools initiative, a victims’ support fund and a presidential economic
recovery program for northeastern Nigeria. We are also committed to
ridding our country of corruption and safeguarding human and civil rights
and the rule of law.
Something positive can come out of the situation in Nigeria: most
important, the return of the Chibok girls, but also new international
cooperation to deny havens to terrorists and destroy their organizations
wherever they are — whether in the forests of Nigeria, on the streets of
New York or sanctuaries in Iraq or Pakistan. Those who value humanity ,
civilization and the innocence of children can do no less.
The Washington Post