American President, Barack Obama has notified the US Congress on the deployment of 80 military personnel to Chad in order to secure the missing girls. The move comes as military sources say satellite imagery has shown possible locations where Boko Haram gunmen are keeping the over 200 girls abducted from Chibok last week.
Sources say Nigeria’s special forces from 7 Division have narrowed the location of the missing girls down to three camps operated by Boko Haram north of Kukawa at the western corridors of Lake Chad.
“These personnel will support the operation of intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance aircraft for missions over northern Nigeria and the surrounding area,” Obama wrote in a letter to House Speaker John Boehner and Senate President Pro Tempore Patrick Leahy. “The force will remain in Chad until its support in resolving the kidnapping situation is no longer required.”
TIME reports,
The deployment follows manned and unmanned surveillance flights launched by American personnel earlier this month, as well as the deployment of a team of U.S. military, law enforcement, and hostage negotiation advisers to the Nigerian capital of Abuja.
Obama has been under fire from some lawmakers on Capitol Hill for not more aggressively deploying American troops in the search for the missing girls.
“We should devote more of our national capabilities to help our Nigerian partners in locating the girls,” said Arizona Sen. John McCain on May 16. “And if we get actionable intelligence about where they are being held, we should send U.S. Special Forces to rescue them –- with the approval and cooperation of the Nigerian government and security forces if possible, but without them if necessary.”