Nigerian Girls Abduction: Israeli Anti-terrorism Team to Join Operation Against Boko Haram

Anti-terrorism experts from Israel are set to join the ongoing hunt for the Nigerian school girls abducted by the Islamist Boko Haram outfit.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu told Nigerian President Goodluck Jonathan his country would send a team of specialists following a discussion on progress in the hunt to trace the girls.

Anti-terrorism experts from Tel Aviv will collaborate with the teams from the US and the UK. France, Canada and China have also offered to help Nigeria in the battle against Boko Haram.

Jonathan's special adviser on media and publicity Reuben Abati said in a statement: "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."

Netanyahu said in a statement: "Israel expresses its deep shock at the crime committed against the girls. We are willing to help assist in locating the girls and fighting the terror ..."

Meanwhile, in a separate development, the governor of Borno State, Kashim Shettima, has said he is aware of the whereabouts of the girls and their Boko Haram captors.

Shettima said he has passed on the reports to the relevant authorities in the intelligence and the military for verification.