The National Council of State expressed optimism on Tuesday of the safe return of the over 200 girls abducted from their dormitory in a school in Chibok, Borno State, by members of a terrorist group, Boko Haram.
Briefing Journalists after the meeting in Abuja, the Akwa Ibom State Governor, Mr Godswill Akpabio, said that the Council was happy with the efforts of the Security Forces as they push to rescue the abducted girls.
The meeting was attended by six ex-Head of State including former President Olusegun Obasanjo , past Ministers of Justices and Attorneys General, Leadership of the National Assembly, Service Chiefs, and some Governors of the 36 States of the Federation.
The council, according to Governor Akpabio, also expressed confidence that “there will not be casualties when the rescue operation is carried out.
President Goodluck Jonathan and the Army Chief briefed the council on the security situation and the security personnel’s efforts to rescue Chibok girls, who have been in the custody of the Boko Haram sect for over 85 days.
The National Council of State further called on Nigerians to be patient with security personnel because the issue of terrorism was new and that security personnel would adopt the best and meticulous approach towards dealing with it effectively.
The deployment is aimed at fast tracking the search and rescue operations of the girls though the government is still deploying more troops to Borno State as part of an effort to rescue the girls and end insurgency in the area.
The Boko Haram sect have carried out series of attacks on villages, school and churches in three major states in the region – Adamawa, Borno and Yola.