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| Nigerian Leader Cancels Visit to Village of Abducted Girls | Nigerian Leader Cancels Visit to Village of Abducted Girls |
| (4 months later) | |
| MAIDUGURI, Nigeria — A first visit by President Goodluck Jonathan to the village from which nearly 300 girls were abducted by Boko Haram was abruptly canceled on Friday because of security fears, according to an official in the president’s entourage. | |
| The official said security could not be guaranteed in the village of Chibok, 80 miles from this state capital. The road passes through territory largely controlled by Boko Haram; villages along it bear the traces — burned schools, empty houses — of earlier Boko Haram attacks. | The official said security could not be guaranteed in the village of Chibok, 80 miles from this state capital. The road passes through territory largely controlled by Boko Haram; villages along it bear the traces — burned schools, empty houses — of earlier Boko Haram attacks. |
| Mr. Jonathan’s visit was expected to have symbolic import after weeks in which he has been accused of neglecting the abductions, though his reaction has been consistent with earlier government responses through nearly five years of attacks by Boko Haram. | Mr. Jonathan’s visit was expected to have symbolic import after weeks in which he has been accused of neglecting the abductions, though his reaction has been consistent with earlier government responses through nearly five years of attacks by Boko Haram. |
| The federal government in Abuja has generally treated the Boko Haram insurgency as a regional problem confined to the country’s northeast. A worldwide outcry over the girls’ kidnapping on April 14 has forced an abrupt change in that approach. | The federal government in Abuja has generally treated the Boko Haram insurgency as a regional problem confined to the country’s northeast. A worldwide outcry over the girls’ kidnapping on April 14 has forced an abrupt change in that approach. |
| There are mounting concerns outside Nigeria that government forces are in poor shape to confront the militants. | There are mounting concerns outside Nigeria that government forces are in poor shape to confront the militants. |
| “We’re now looking at a military force that’s, quite frankly, becoming afraid to even engage,” Alice Friend, the Pentagon’s principal director for African affairs, told the Senate Foreign Relations Committee in Washington on Thursday. “The Nigerian military has the same challenges with corruption that every other institution in Nigeria does. Much of the funding that goes to the Nigerian military is skimmed off the top, if you will.” | “We’re now looking at a military force that’s, quite frankly, becoming afraid to even engage,” Alice Friend, the Pentagon’s principal director for African affairs, told the Senate Foreign Relations Committee in Washington on Thursday. “The Nigerian military has the same challenges with corruption that every other institution in Nigeria does. Much of the funding that goes to the Nigerian military is skimmed off the top, if you will.” |
| Mr. Jonathan is to attend a meeting on Saturday of regional leaders, hosted by France, that is expected to discuss a joint approach to Boko Haram. Until now there has been little cooperation among Nigeria, Benin, Cameroon, Chad and Niger; members of the Islamist group move with relative freedom across the region’s porous borders. The United States, the European Union and Britain will also be represented, according to a statement from the Nigerian president’s office. | Mr. Jonathan is to attend a meeting on Saturday of regional leaders, hosted by France, that is expected to discuss a joint approach to Boko Haram. Until now there has been little cooperation among Nigeria, Benin, Cameroon, Chad and Niger; members of the Islamist group move with relative freedom across the region’s porous borders. The United States, the European Union and Britain will also be represented, according to a statement from the Nigerian president’s office. |
| The meeting in Paris “was Mr. Goodluck’s wish, and he expressed it in a recent phone conversation with Mr. Hollande,” an official from the Élysée Palace said, referring to President François Hollande of France. | The meeting in Paris “was Mr. Goodluck’s wish, and he expressed it in a recent phone conversation with Mr. Hollande,” an official from the Élysée Palace said, referring to President François Hollande of France. |
| The militaries of the bordering nations have widely differing strengths, with that of Chad usually deemed by far the most efficient. A striking demonstration of this was the role the Chadian Army played in pushing back jihadists in Mali, aided by the French, in 2013. | The militaries of the bordering nations have widely differing strengths, with that of Chad usually deemed by far the most efficient. A striking demonstration of this was the role the Chadian Army played in pushing back jihadists in Mali, aided by the French, in 2013. |
| But so far they have not taken up the fight against Boko Haram, which has been left in the uncertain hands of the Nigerian military. The region surrounding Chibok has the highest concentration of Boko Haram; this week soldiers were ambushed outside Chibok and four were killed, Nigeria’s Defense Ministry told the local news media. The ministry spokesman did not return messages seeking comment. | But so far they have not taken up the fight against Boko Haram, which has been left in the uncertain hands of the Nigerian military. The region surrounding Chibok has the highest concentration of Boko Haram; this week soldiers were ambushed outside Chibok and four were killed, Nigeria’s Defense Ministry told the local news media. The ministry spokesman did not return messages seeking comment. |
| Soldiers were so angry that they had to pass through Boko Haram-controlled territory at night that they staged a mini-mutiny at a barracks here on Wednesday, firing on the car of the commanding officer as it entered, the Nigerian media reported. The military said it was instituting a board of inquiry, but there was no word on the fate of the soldiers. Such small-scale revolts among the troops stationed here on the front line of the Boko Haram insurgency are common, a senior official here said. | Soldiers were so angry that they had to pass through Boko Haram-controlled territory at night that they staged a mini-mutiny at a barracks here on Wednesday, firing on the car of the commanding officer as it entered, the Nigerian media reported. The military said it was instituting a board of inquiry, but there was no word on the fate of the soldiers. Such small-scale revolts among the troops stationed here on the front line of the Boko Haram insurgency are common, a senior official here said. |
| Earlier this month, Mr. Jonathan, in an unusual decision, called on the United States and other Western countries to help with Nigeria’s security problems. | Earlier this month, Mr. Jonathan, in an unusual decision, called on the United States and other Western countries to help with Nigeria’s security problems. |
| As a result, the United States and Britain have joined an international effort to locate and rescue the abducted girls. France sent a team of intelligence experts to Nigeria, the Élysée said. | As a result, the United States and Britain have joined an international effort to locate and rescue the abducted girls. France sent a team of intelligence experts to Nigeria, the Élysée said. |
| “French and Western countries have a card to play here, which is to make sure that the borders are closed in order to prevent Boko Haram from using Nigeria’s neighboring countries as a staging ground, which it already does in Niger,” said Benjamin Augé, a researcher on Africa for the French Institute of International Relations, a private research group. | “French and Western countries have a card to play here, which is to make sure that the borders are closed in order to prevent Boko Haram from using Nigeria’s neighboring countries as a staging ground, which it already does in Niger,” said Benjamin Augé, a researcher on Africa for the French Institute of International Relations, a private research group. |
| The role of France is important, Mr. Augé said. “France doesn’t know much about Nigeria, but knows very well its neighboring countries for historical reasons,” he said. Benin, Cameroon, Chad and Niger, which will participate in the summit on Saturday, are former French colonies. | The role of France is important, Mr. Augé said. “France doesn’t know much about Nigeria, but knows very well its neighboring countries for historical reasons,” he said. Benin, Cameroon, Chad and Niger, which will participate in the summit on Saturday, are former French colonies. |