ICC Note: In the fallout after a former British ambassador to Nigeria revealed that the United Kingdom (U.K.) and United States (U.S.) had previously known where 80 of the Chibok girls had been located and failed to rescue them, Nigerians are expressing mixed reactions. On the one hand, some are applauding the decision not to engage in a rescue attempt because of the risk it poses to the lives of the girls. Others question how long the West will wait to make a move and why at the time they did not share the intelligence with the Nigerian government. Operations such as these contain sensitive considerations in protecting hostages lives, but asking questions of these intelligence branches as to when enough becomes enough seem appropriate.

By Abosede Musari, Tehemba Daka, Karls Tsokar, Anthony Otaru and Segun Olaniyi

3/22/16 Nigeria (AllAfrica) – Mixed reaction is trailing the revelation by former British High Commissioner to Nigeria, Andrew Pocock, on the whereabouts of the kidnapped Chibok girls.

While some Nigerians, including security experts, yesterday lauded the decision of the U.S and British governments to withhold action on rescuing the 80 girls that were spotted, others were of the opinion that these foreign allies should have informed the Nigerian government of their discoveries with or without invitation from the Nigerian government.