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| Nigeria abducted schoolgirls: President cancels Chibok trip | Nigeria abducted schoolgirls: President cancels Chibok trip |
| (about 3 hours later) | |
| Nigeria's President Goodluck Jonathan has called off a visit the town where more than 200 schoolgirls were abducted, officials say. | Nigeria's President Goodluck Jonathan has called off a visit the town where more than 200 schoolgirls were abducted, officials say. |
| Sources had told the BBC he would stop in Chibok, in the north-east, on his way to a conference in France on the threat from Boko Haram militants. | Sources had told the BBC he would stop in Chibok, in the north-east, on his way to a conference in France on the threat from Boko Haram militants. |
| But the visit was called off for security reasons, the officials said. | But the visit was called off for security reasons, the officials said. |
| The president - under pressure over his government's failure to rescue the girls - will fly direct to Paris. | The president - under pressure over his government's failure to rescue the girls - will fly direct to Paris. |
| The BBC's Gabriel Gatehouse in Nigeria says the cancellation of this visit underlines just how fragile the security situation is in the north-east. | The BBC's Gabriel Gatehouse in Nigeria says the cancellation of this visit underlines just how fragile the security situation is in the north-east. |
| On Thursday, relatives of the girls called for their unconditional release by Boko Haram. | On Thursday, relatives of the girls called for their unconditional release by Boko Haram. |
| Mr Jonathan is said to have ruled out negotiations over a possible release of prisoners. | Mr Jonathan is said to have ruled out negotiations over a possible release of prisoners. |
| Nothing was seen of the girls for almost a month after they were taken from Chibok. | Nothing was seen of the girls for almost a month after they were taken from Chibok. |
| But on Monday the group released a video showing more than 100 of them and offering an exchange for prisoners. | But on Monday the group released a video showing more than 100 of them and offering an exchange for prisoners. |
| UK Africa Minister Mark Simmonds said Mr Jonathan had "made it very clear that there will be no negotiation" at a meeting on Wednesday. | UK Africa Minister Mark Simmonds said Mr Jonathan had "made it very clear that there will be no negotiation" at a meeting on Wednesday. |
| President Jonathan has been criticised for not visiting the town - more than a month after the girls were seized. | President Jonathan has been criticised for not visiting the town - more than a month after the girls were seized. |
| The president will travel to Paris to take part in a summit convened by French President Francois Hollande to discuss Boko Haram. | The president will travel to Paris to take part in a summit convened by French President Francois Hollande to discuss Boko Haram. |
| The leaders of Nigeria's neighbours - Benin, Cameroon, Niger and Chad - are scheduled to attend the summit on Saturday, which will also include representatives from the UK, US and EU. | The leaders of Nigeria's neighbours - Benin, Cameroon, Niger and Chad - are scheduled to attend the summit on Saturday, which will also include representatives from the UK, US and EU. |
| A statement said delegates at the meeting will "discuss fresh strategies for dealing with the security threat posed by Boko Haram and other terrorist groups in west and Central Africa". | A statement said delegates at the meeting will "discuss fresh strategies for dealing with the security threat posed by Boko Haram and other terrorist groups in west and Central Africa". |
| 'Troubling atrocities' | 'Troubling atrocities' |
| Meanwhile, US officials on Thursday criticised the speed of Nigeria's response to the threat from Boko Haram. | Meanwhile, US officials on Thursday criticised the speed of Nigeria's response to the threat from Boko Haram. |
| Alice Friend, director for African affairs at the US defence department, said its security forces had been "slow to adapt with new strategies and new tactics". | Alice Friend, director for African affairs at the US defence department, said its security forces had been "slow to adapt with new strategies and new tactics". |
| She also said the US was unable to offer aid to Nigeria's military because of "troubling" atrocities perpetrated by some units during operations against Boko Haram. | She also said the US was unable to offer aid to Nigeria's military because of "troubling" atrocities perpetrated by some units during operations against Boko Haram. |
| "We cannot ignore that Nigeria can be an extremely challenging partner to work with," Ms Friend said. | "We cannot ignore that Nigeria can be an extremely challenging partner to work with," Ms Friend said. |
| State of emergency | State of emergency |
| US drones and surveillance aircraft have been deployed to assist in the search for the schoolgirls, while the UK has sent a military team to the capital, Abuja, to work alongside US, French and Israeli experts. | US drones and surveillance aircraft have been deployed to assist in the search for the schoolgirls, while the UK has sent a military team to the capital, Abuja, to work alongside US, French and Israeli experts. |
| The lower house of Nigeria's parliament, the House of Representatives, approved an extension of the state of emergency in the north-east states of Yobe, Borno and Adamawa on Thursday. | The lower house of Nigeria's parliament, the House of Representatives, approved an extension of the state of emergency in the north-east states of Yobe, Borno and Adamawa on Thursday. |
| President Jonathan had requested a six-month extension, calling the security situation in the region "daunting" and saying he was concerned by the mounting loss of life among civilians. | President Jonathan had requested a six-month extension, calling the security situation in the region "daunting" and saying he was concerned by the mounting loss of life among civilians. |
| The state of emergency, which still needs to be approved by the Senate, gives the military widespread powers such as detaining suspects, imposing curfews and setting up roadblocks. | The state of emergency, which still needs to be approved by the Senate, gives the military widespread powers such as detaining suspects, imposing curfews and setting up roadblocks. |
| On Thursday, there were reports of fresh attacks by suspected Boko Haram militants in Borno state. | |
| A witness told the BBC's Hausa Service that there had been explosions in Gamboru Ngala, were some 300 people were killed last week in a massacre blamed on Boko Haram. | A witness told the BBC's Hausa Service that there had been explosions in Gamboru Ngala, were some 300 people were killed last week in a massacre blamed on Boko Haram. |