Jonathan Welcomes Israel’s Anti-Terrorism Experts

The support from the international community for the search and rescue of the over 200 students from Government Girls Secondary School, Chibok, Borno State continue to swell with the latest coming from Israel.

In a statement by the Special Adviser to the President on Media and Publicity, Dr.  Reuben Abati, Israeli Prime Minister, Mr. Benjamin Netanyahu ,  in a telephone conversation yesterday afternoon with President Good-luck Jonathan, conveyed his coun­try’s sympathy and solidarity with Nigeria, offered to send a team of counter-terrorism experts to assist in the ongoing search and rescue of the female students who were abducted by Boko Haram on April 14 from their school.

He said, President Jonathan, in accepting the offer  expressed optimism that with the entire international community deploying its considerable military and intelligence-gathering skills and assets in support of Nigeria’s efforts to find and rescue the girls, success will soon be achieved.

Abati said: “ The President briefed Mr. Netanyahu on actions already being taken by Nigeria’s armed forces and security agencies in the search and rescue operations, noting that Nigeria would be pleased to have Israel’s globally-acknowledged anti-terrorism expertise deployed in Nigeria.

“Mr. Netanyahu, who expressed Israel’s total condemnation of the mass abductions, said that the team of experts from his country who will soon arrive in Nigeria, will work in collaboration with teams from the United States and Britain who are already in the country and their Nigerian counterparts to intensify the search for the girls.

“He reaffirmed Israel’s willingness to give the government and people of Nigeria all possible support and assistance to overcome terrorism and insecurity,” Abati said.