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<p>In the days following the abduction of over 200 schoolgirls from Chibok in Borno
State, Nigeria, we have offered our assistance to the highest levels of the Nigerian
government. The Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, my Rt. Hon.
Friend the Member for Richmond (Yorks) (Mr Hague), spoke to the Nigerian Foreign Minister
on 18 April immediately after the abductions and offered the UK's assistance.</p><p>On
7 May the Prime Minister, my Rt. Hon. Friend the Member for Witney (Mr Cameron), spoke
to President Jonathan and offered to send a team of UK experts to Abuja. The President
accepted and the team, led by the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO), arrived in
Abuja on 9 May. The team will provide expertise in counter-terrorism, counter-insurgency,
military mentoring and training, victim support and economic development. Human rights
compliance is, and will remain, an essential element of any UK assistance in Nigeria.
The Minister for Africa, my hon. Friend the Member for Boston and Skegness (Mark Simmonds)
visited Nigeria on 14 May, and reiterated our support with President Jonathan.</p><p>We
are coordinating closely with international partners. An FCO team was in Washington
on 5 May for talks with the US on Nigeria. Our expert team in Abuja will be coordinating
closely with a US team also in Abuja. We are also speaking to the French and are encouraging
other EU partners to lend their support. Given Boko Haram's exploitation of Nigeria's
porous borders and indications that some of the girls may have been taken to Cameroon
or Chad, we are engaging with Nigeria's neighbours.</p>
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