Nigerian Military Knows Of Where Kidnapped Schoolgirls Are Held

One step closer to getting those babies back home?

Nigerian Military Knows Where Boko Haram Is Keeping Kidnapped School Girls

In what should be a huge step to returning the 300 kidnapped girls to their families, the Nigerian military has announced that they know the location at which the kidnapped girls are being held. However, military forces are reluctant to burst into such a delicate situation for fear of harming the girls in the process. Via HuffPost:

ABUJA, Nigeria (AP) — Nigeria’s military has located nearly 300 school girls abducted by Islamic extremists but fears using force to try to free them could get them killed, the country’s chief of defense said Monday.

Air Marshal Alex Badeh told demonstrators supporting the much criticized military that Nigerian troops can save the girls. But he added, “we can’t go and kill our girls in the name of trying to get them back.”

He spoke to thousands of demonstrators who marched to Defense Ministry headquarters in Abuja, the capital. Many were brought in on buses, indicating it was an organized event.

Asked by reporters where they had found the girls, Badeh refused to elaborate.

“We want our girls back. I can tell you we can do it. Our military can do it. But where they are held, can we go with force?” he asked the crowd.

People roared back, “No!”

“If we go with force what will happen?” he asked.

“They will die,” the demonstrators responded.

But in a truly questionable turn of events, it seems that the girls could have been back home under negotiated terms about a week ago. However, the Nigerian president found some reason to leave them in captivity…

That appeared to leave negotiation the sole option, but a human rights activist close to negotiators said a deal to swap the girls for detained Boko Haram members was agreed last week and then scuttled at the last minute by President Goodluck Jonathan.

The activist who is close to those mediating between Boko Haram extremists and government officials said the girls would have been freed last week Monday.

Jonathan had already told British officials that he would not consider an exchange. The source spoke on condition of anonymity because of the sensitivity of the issue.

President Jonathan was forced this month to accept international help. American planes have been searching for the girls and Britain, France, Israel and other countries have sent experts in surveillance and hostage negotiation.

Jonathan’s reluctance to accept offered help for weeks is seen as unwillingness to have outsiders looking in on what is considered a very corrupt force.

What is really happening in Nigeria??? What secrets are so valuable that they’ll gamble on the lives of their own daughters to protect??? SMH. Hopefully with this military knowledge and foreign involvement, these girls can be returned home soon. But at this rate…who knows?