France Holds Security Summit over Nigerian Girls Kidnapping

Nigeria's President Goodluck Jonathan and other regional African leaders are in Paris as French President François Hollande hosts the security summit in the backdrop of the mass abduction of school girls by the Islamist group, Boko Haram.

During the security talks, Jonathan will be urged to seek closer cooperation with the neighbouring countries in western Africa including Cameroon, Chad, Niger and Benin to better tackle the militants.

Jonathan was scheduled to visit Chibok, the town from where the yet-missing girls were abducted, but it was cancelled later citing security concerns.

Ahead of the talks, Hollande discussed the latest situation with his American counterpart Barack Obama, said the White House.

British Foreign Secretary William Hague and Wendy Sherman, a senior Obama administration official, are also set to attend the meeting.

An official statement about the talks said the representatives of various countries will "discuss fresh strategies for dealing with the security threat posed by Boko Haram and other terrorist groups in West and Central Africa".

A preliminary assessment of the assistance rendered by foreign forces including the US, the UK, and France in the operation against Boko Haram over the kidnappings is also expected to take place.

More than 300 girls were kidnapped a month ago by the extremist outfit in the northeastern town of Chibok and over 200 of them are still being held captive.

"Boko Haram represents a risk to the stability of every state in the region, and the leaders of these countries have to be aware of that," said a French diplomat, AFP reports.

The military intervention by foreign nations is not to be on the agenda, however.