E.E.R: : US Deploys Drones to Nigeria As McCain Urges Full Military Action

Chibok Abduction: US Deploys Drones As McCain Urges Full Military Action

In its efforts to rescue the over 200 abducted girls in Nigeria, the United States yesterday said it is now using unmanned drones to search for them, while a United States Senator, John McCain (R-Ariz.), also recommended military action for President Barrack Obama.

A statement signed by the US Press Secretary, Jay Carney, a copy of which was handed over to Daily Newswatch in Washington, DC, said the use of drones became important to quickly recover the girls from their abductors.

The statement said, “The deployment of drones comes in addition to manned surveillance flights and satellite imagery being offered to the Nigerian government in the search for the girls. The U.S. has also sent an interdisciplinary crisis team with officials from the Pentagon, State Department, and FBI to consult with Nigerian authorities.

“At this point, the administration is not actively considering deployment of U.S. forces, despite calls from some Republicans to use special force to rescue the missing girls.”

The US reiterated that it had encouraged the Nigerian government not to offer a ransom in exchange for the girls’ release.

“Nigeria is a sovereign nation. The girls were abducted in Nigeria. They are Nigerians and it’s entirely appropriate that Nigeria would lead the effort to find them,” it was stated.

However, Senator John McCain (R-Ariz.) yesterday recommended military action for President Barrack Obama to assist Nigeria in rescuing the girls.

McCain, while speaking with journalists in Washington, DC, said the military force would urgently help in freeing the abducted girls from Boko Haram sect.

“Let President Obama use every tool that we have to rescue these young girls. That means, it will be done surgically, it could be done in a way that is very efficient. But for us not to do that, in my view, will be an abrogation of our responsibilities,” he said.

The senator said the administration does not need the permission of the Nigerian government to deploy forces inside the country, and cited the use of special force to recapture cargo ships and personnel seized off the coasts of Africa.

Also, the Consul-General of the Nigerian Consulate based in Atlanta, Ambassador Geoffrey Teneilabe, has urged Nigerians to dismiss fears that the United States is planning to dismantle and take over Nigeria, following its intervention to rescue the abducted girls.

Reacting to a video statement made by General Overseer of the Latter Rain Assembly Church, Pastor Tunde Bakare, yesterday, Ambassador Teneilabe said there was no plan by the US to take over Nigeria.

Pastor Bakare in a video clip shared on Facebook, said the US government had concluded plans to dismantle Nigeria.

“Foreigners have invaded our lands. They are looking for excuses to destabilize us. Orchestration of evil is going on. God took me in the spirit to the room of former President W. Bush in 2005. Bush told me in the vision that come 2015, Nigeria would not remain as a nation, but I told him that he was telling lies. I want to tell Nigerians that without the intervention of foreigners we successfully fought a civil war in this country,” the pastor was seen as saying.

But the Consul- General of Nigeria in charge of 17 states in the South- East of the United States, said: “I want to urge Nigerians to completely ignore Bakare’s statement. America has been helpful to Nigeria. She has given us her word that she would support us, and take the lead in this rescue mission.

“As a matter of fact, we need US technology, goodwill, clout, surveillance and intelligence machinery to solve the issue of Boko Haram. Do not forget that Boko Haram is a terrorist group and terrorism is a global problem. Even America cannot fight terrorism alone without the support from other countries.

“The realities are facing us, and we should be able to address the realities. By Bakare’s statement, what is the solution? Do we fold our arms and allow Boko Haram to take over the country?

“So, let us set aside our fears and welcome all the countries coming to assist us, and make maximum use of their experiences to wipe out Boko Haram from Nigeria.”

He noted that Boko Haram is sponsored by some politicians designed to undermine the administration of President Goodluck Jonathan.

“If you go back to history, you know that Boko Haram started increasing its muscles after the last election that brought President Jonathan in. There is a lot of politics involved in the issue. After the election, they started burning houses, killing innocent people and other criminal activities in some parts of Northern Nigeria. Since then, the group has been terrorizing the nation.

“The fact is that Boko Haram does not want President Jonathan to rule, they want to frustrate him, and also make the country ungovernable to him,” he explained.

Daily Newswatch.

In its efforts to rescue the over 200 abducted girls in Nigeria, the United States yesterday said it is now using unmanned drones to search for them, while a United States Senator, John McCain (R-Ariz.), also recommended military action for President Barrack Obama.

A statement signed by the US Press Secretary, Jay Carney, a copy of which was handed over to Daily Newswatch in Washington, DC, said the use of drones became important to quickly recover the girls from their abductors.

The statement said, “The deployment of drones comes in addition to manned surveillance flights and satellite imagery being offered to the Nigerian government in the search for the girls. The U.S. has also sent an interdisciplinary crisis team with officials from the Pentagon, State Department, and FBI to consult with Nigerian authorities.

“At this point, the administration is not actively considering deployment of U.S. forces, despite calls from some Republicans to use special force to rescue the missing girls.”

The US reiterated that it had encouraged the Nigerian government not to offer a ransom in exchange for the girls’ release.

“Nigeria is a sovereign nation. The girls were abducted in Nigeria. They are Nigerians and it’s entirely appropriate that Nigeria would lead the effort to find them,” it was stated.

However, Senator John McCain (R-Ariz.) yesterday recommended military action for President Barrack Obama to assist Nigeria in rescuing the girls.

McCain, while speaking with journalists in Washington, DC, said the military force would urgently help in freeing the abducted girls from Boko Haram sect.

“Let President Obama use every tool that we have to rescue these young girls. That means, it will be done surgically, it could be done in a way that is very efficient. But for us not to do that, in my view, will be an abrogation of our responsibilities,” he said.

The senator said the administration does not need the permission of the Nigerian government to deploy forces inside the country, and cited the use of special force to recapture cargo ships and personnel seized off the coasts of Africa.

Also, the Consul-General of the Nigerian Consulate based in Atlanta, Ambassador Geoffrey Teneilabe, has urged Nigerians to dismiss fears that the United States is planning to dismantle and take over Nigeria, following its intervention to rescue the abducted girls.

Reacting to a video statement made by General Overseer of the Latter Rain Assembly Church, Pastor Tunde Bakare, yesterday, Ambassador Teneilabe said there was no plan by the US to take over Nigeria.

Pastor Bakare in a video clip shared on Facebook, said the US government had concluded plans to dismantle Nigeria.

“Foreigners have invaded our lands. They are looking for excuses to destabilize us. Orchestration of evil is going on. God took me in the spirit to the room of former President W. Bush in 2005. Bush told me in the vision that come 2015, Nigeria would not remain as a nation, but I told him that he was telling lies. I want to tell Nigerians that without the intervention of foreigners we successfully fought a civil war in this country,” the pastor was seen as saying.

But the Consul- General of Nigeria in charge of 17 states in the South- East of the United States, said: “I want to urge Nigerians to completely ignore Bakare’s statement. America has been helpful to Nigeria. She has given us her word that she would support us, and take the lead in this rescue mission.

“As a matter of fact, we need US technology, goodwill, clout, surveillance and intelligence machinery to solve the issue of Boko Haram. Do not forget that Boko Haram is a terrorist group and terrorism is a global problem. Even America cannot fight terrorism alone without the support from other countries.

“The realities are facing us, and we should be able to address the realities. By Bakare’s statement, what is the solution? Do we fold our arms and allow Boko Haram to take over the country?

“So, let us set aside our fears and welcome all the countries coming to assist us, and make maximum use of their experiences to wipe out Boko Haram from Nigeria.”

He noted that Boko Haram is sponsored by some politicians designed to undermine the administration of President Goodluck Jonathan.

“If you go back to history, you know that Boko Haram started increasing its muscles after the last election that brought President Jonathan in. There is a lot of politics involved in the issue. After the election, they started burning houses, killing innocent people and other criminal activities in some parts of Northern Nigeria. Since then, the group has been terrorizing the nation.

“The fact is that Boko Haram does not want President Jonathan to rule, they want to frustrate him, and also make the country ungovernable to him,” he explained.