Ameh Ejekwonyilo
The Presidency yesterday confirmed that the location of the abducted Chibok School girls by the dreaded Boko Haram terrorists group has been discovered by the Nigerian military.
Senior Special Assistant to the President on Public Affairs, Dr. Doyin Okupe, made the confirmation yesterday in a special interview with the Cable News Network, (CNN), adding that as an insider “I am saying that the location of the Chibok school girls is now known and President Jonathan is doing everything possible to ensure their safe return.”
This has come on the heels of new development that the Americans which were providing air surveillance and logistics support were angered by the revelation by the Chief of Defence Staff (CDS) as they would prefer to take the credit and not the Nigerian military.
Also, a competent source within the Presidency debunked the rumour that President Goodluck Jonathan was angry with the CDS, Air Chief Marshall Badeh, over his revelation that the Nigerian military “discovered the whereabouts” of the Chibok school girls which allegedly angered the Americans.
The source added that the President was not unmindful of the effect of the positive development on the morale of the Nigerian military.
He said: “If the Americans had made the breakthrough, it would have been the end of the Nigerian military and the President, as the Commander-in-Chief, knows that at all times he must show and have confidence in the capacity and competence of his troops.”
He added that the administration has been battling all kinds of dangerous and unfounded rumours aimed at discrediting and creating confusion within the rank and file of the military.
“Last week, there was a report of a second mutiny in the 7th Division of the Nigerian Army, Maiduguri. It took vigorous counter before those behind the falsehood gave up.
“The President is aware that the CDS, as the number one military officer, owed it to the officers and men of the Nigerian Armed Forces to defend their professionalism, which of late had been subjected to serious questioning.
“Like you, know there have been doubts about the competence of the Nigerian Armed Forces and unproven allegations of corruption by a section of the Nigerian public and countries like the United States, so the CDS had to do what he did, without giving away anything.”
The US had, since the administration of former President Olusegun Obasanjo, been working to establish some ‘kind’ of foothold in the Nigerian military, but which former Chief of Army Staff, Lt. General Victor Malu, waged a war against the move, a development that reportedly infuriated the Americans.
Jonathan and the military high command were “compelled” to accepting the assistance of some foreign nations, with a view to reducing the barrage of criticisms against the government over the delay in the release of the Chibok school girls.
