Nigerian president meets girls’ parents

Nigerian President Goodluck Jonathan. File picture: Afolabi Sotunde

Nigerian President Goodluck Jonathan. File picture: Afolabi Sotunde

Published Jul 22, 2014

Share

Abuja -

President Goodluck Jonathan is meeting with many parents of the 219 kidnapped Nigerian schoolgirls and some classmates who managed to escape from Islamic extremists.

Tuesday's meeting comes after some had refused to meet Nigeria's leader last week. For months the parents have been asking to see the president and he finally agreed to a request from Pakistani girls-education activist Malala Yousafzai.

Jonathan blamed activists of the #BringBackOurGirls campaign for politicising the abductions and influencing the parents.

The parents said they needed time to decide who would attend.

A spokesman said there were 177 people in the delegation meeting Jonathan and an AP reporter counted 51 of the 57 girls who escaped in the early days after the April 15 abduction. The failure to rescue the girls is an international embarrassment. - Sapa-AP

Related Topics: