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Interpol Wants To Join In The Chibok Girls Search

The President of the International Criminal Police Organisation, Mireille Ballestrazzi, has assured President Goodluck Jonathan and the Nigerian people that the organisation would track down and free the over 200 girls abducted by Boko Haram in Chibok, Borno State, wherever they may be.
President Jonathan, who disclosed this on Saturday, said he received the commitment when he spoke with Ballestrazzi of the French National Police.
Jonathan spoke in Oporoza, Gbaramatu Kingdom in Delta State during the groundbreaking ceremonies of the NIMASA Shipyard and Dockyard at Okerenkoko and Nigeria Maritime University at Kurutie.
The two projects are being undertaken by the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency.
In attendance at the historic event were Governors Emmanuel Uduaghan of Delta State, the host, and his counterpart from the neighbouring Anambra State, Willie Obiano, as well as members of the National Assembly and traditional rulers from the Kingdom.
Jonathan said: “The international community is angry with the whole thing.
“We have support from other countries; we promise the world that we must get the girls out.
“I am very pleased with the support coming from the United States, the United Kingdom, France the Republic of China, Israel, Spain and others.
“I am happy with the cooperation we are getting from our neighbouring countries, Cameroon, Niger ,Chad and Benin.
“We are totally committed to making sure that we these girls out.
“The story that they have sold them is not true.
“Definitely, they cannot buy any of those girls.
“I just had a communication with the President of INTERPOL who said they are ready to key with the Nigerian government to search the whole world.
“Wherever these girls are, we must get them.
“And I believe that no sane person will attempt to kill those girls.”‎
On the twin projects that brought him to the community, the President expressed delight that development can now take place in the Niger Delta because the people have embraced peace.
He recalled his last visit to Gbaramatu Kingdom in 2007 to negotiate for amnesty, saying: “I was here the on a journey when nobody could smile. It was a very tense situation because there were so many crises in this part of the country.
“That tells us clearly that without peace, there will not be development on earth. Collectively, we will rebuild this community now that there is peace.
“We are pleased with this community, we are pleased with the Niger Delta for now.
“Generally, Niger Delta is relatively peaceful and that is why development is now coming in.”
Speaking on the importance of the projects, the President noted that on completion, jobs would be generated while the University would enhance capacity building in the maritime sector.
He, therefore, called on the sons and daughters of the region to take advantage of the various programmes available in NIMASA and the Amnesty Office to enhance their skills.
President Jonathan spoke further: “Of course, we know the importance of these projects, the maritime University, the Shipyard and the Dockyard. The establishment of Maritime University will really help because the issue of manpower is key.
“This is a good thing; it will help significantly to produce the required manpower for the Blue Economy”(maritime economy).
“I want our boys and girls to key into the training programmes of NIMASA and other programmes in Amnesty Office to improve on their skills so that they can work anywhere in the world.”
He said the marine business is a global business.
The President also reacted to the issue of bunkering raised by the President of Ijaw Youth Congress in his goodwill message, reiterating government’s commitment to putting a stop to bunkering.
According to him: “We have been totally committed to reducing bunkering. I will plead with Nigerians who are involved in bunkering to leave that business. You must leave bunkering.
“We must collectively say no to bunkering, say no to crude refinery that takes place in our land. It is not going to help us, it is going to destroy the environment and we must collectively say no and government must stop it and we are working on that.”
Uduaghan, in his remarks, enjoined the people of the Niger Delta to give maximum support to the President.
While thanking other regions for supporting Jonathan in 2011, he also solicited for continued support beyond 2015, calling on those fanning the embers of disunity to desist.
“We must come together to give maximum support to Mr. President. We must continue to support him beyond 2015. Mr. President, you have our maximum support,” he assured.
Uduaghan also thanked the President for citing the Maritime University in Delta State, expressing optimism that he would be around again to commission the permanent site during his second term in office.
In his welcome address, the Minister of Transport, Senator Idris Umar, noted that the transport sector has recorded tremendous achievements largely due to support being received from the President.
Umar said on completion, the two projects would generate thousands of jobs and boost capacity in the maritime industry.
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