The United Kingdom had a chance to rescue the schoolgirls kidnapped from their dormitories in Chibok months after their abduction by the Boko Haram terrorists.

The outgoing British High Commissioner to Nigeria Dr. Andrew Pocock on Tuesday stated this in a visit to governor Nasir El-Rufai of Kaduna state.    

“Our ability to return the Chibok girls is very limited. Well, after the abduction, for some months, it was clear that substantial group of the girls were together.

“It was also clear that they were by no means all of them. It might be a group of 50 or 80; it’s very hard to tell.

“It presented a terrible dilemma to everybody, attempting to rescue substantial group of girls has two obvious problems; the risk to the attackers and to the girls.”

"It was possible that Boko Haram would have killed those girls. And I am not sure whether the military capacity existed for the rescue of these girls.

“So, even though it was possible to say where some of the girls might have been, they were beyond rescue in practical terms.

Speaking on current realities, he believes "the only way for the return of the girls in my personal opinion is through the defeat of Boko Haram.”

He also said dialogue with the sect was not a good idea.


Source: Daily Post