Nigeria president again ducks protesters

Red cross workers inspect a tricycle Wednesday at the site of Tuesday’s car bomb explosion in Jos, Nigeria. Two car bombs exploded at a bustling bus terminal, killing more than 100 people and wounding dozens. There was no immediate claim of responsibility for the twin car bombs.
Red cross workers inspect a tricycle Wednesday at the site of Tuesday’s car bomb explosion in Jos, Nigeria. Two car bombs exploded at a bustling bus terminal, killing more than 100 people and wounding dozens. There was no immediate claim of responsibility for the twin car bombs.

ABUJA, Nigeria -- Scores of protesters chanting "Bring back our girls" marched Thursday to Nigeria's presidential villa to demand more action to free nearly 300 schoolgirls abducted by Islamic militants, but President Goodluck Jonathan did not meet with them, having a proxy deliver a speech that further angered the demonstrators.

"Another small window for Jonathan and he refuses to use it!" one protester yelled. "What a stupid move!"

The protesters complained of the insensitivity of Jonathan, who earlier this month did not meet with some of the girls' parents who came to Nigeria's capital specifically to see him.

Many schools across the country also closed Thursday to protest the abductions, the government's reaction and the killings of scores of teachers by Islamic extremists in recent years.

In Maiduguri, the northeast city that is the birthplace of Boko Haram, protesting teachers said they "can no longer tolerate government insensitivity to the plight of the girls and the education sector."

In Abuja, the marchers sang "All we are saying is bring back our girls," to the tune of John Lennon's "Give Peace a Chance."

They were accompanied by police in riot gear as far as a road leading to the presidential villa, where a fire engine with a water cannon was on standby.

Cabinet ministers and aides told the crowd of about 300 people that Jonathan was not home. A message from the president was read urging Nigerians to unite and stop criticizing the government.

Murmurs of disagreement rose as they were told: "The people of Afghanistan do not blame the government, they blame the terrorists."

Civil society groups were counseled to "encourage Nigerians to supply useful information to the security services."

Chibok local government Chairman Bana Lawal said that he warned the army of an impending Boko Haram attack two hours before the rebels arrived. Reinforcements never arrived, leaving the road open to the school, where the extremists abducted more than 300 girls and young women. Fifty-three escaped and 276 remain in captivity, according to police.

Residents reported a similar lack of action that could have helped avert at least one of two bomb blasts Tuesday at a bustling marketplace in the central city of Jos. The death toll there has risen to at least 130, making them the deadliest bombings yet committed by Boko Haram, though the group has not claimed responsibility.

Market vendors said their suspicions were aroused by a white van that had been parked for hours under a pedestrian bridge, according to Mark Lipdo of the Christian charity Stefanos Foundation. He said they warned soldiers at a nearby checkpoint, but nothing was done. The van contained the first bomb.

On Thursday, family and friends continued the search for victims missing in the blast.

Many of the dead may never be identified, University of Jos student leader Dickson Odeh said after his group searched several hospital mortuaries. They were able to identify the bodies of seven students, some only from ID papers on mutilated bodies, but still are searching for others, he said.

Boko Haram -- the nickname means "Western education is forbidden" -- blames Western influences for endemic corruption that keeps most Nigerians in poverty despite the country's wealth of oil, minerals, agriculture and thriving movie industry.

U.S. first lady Michelle Obama on Thursday said the schoolgirls' mass abduction was a "tragic reminder" of what happens to girls around the world. She spoke at a White House meeting to discuss furthering education for girls in the U.S. and abroad.

Meanwhile, a U.S. military spokesman said Thursday that 80 U.S. Air Force personnel have arrived in neighboring Chad and begun their mission manning a Predator drone system to help locate the girls. Manned U.S. aircraft also are searching from a base in neighboring Niger.

A senior U.S. official said the Predator drone will be used in addition to the unarmed Global Hawks already being in action. The new flights will be based out of Chad and allow the military to expand its search to that country. Initially, the flights were largely over Nigeria.

In other news, the United Nations Security Council on Thursday imposed sanctions against Boko Haram.

U.S. Ambassador Samantha Power welcomed the council's action, calling it "an important step in support of the government of Nigeria's efforts to defeat Boko Haram and hold its murderous leadership accountable for atrocities."

Nigeria, which is serving a two-year term on the council, had asked the Security Council committee monitoring sanctions against al-Qaida to add Boko Haram to the list of al-Qaida-linked organizations subject to an arms embargo and asset freeze.

Information for this article was contributed by Sunday Alamba, Lekan Oyekanmi, Michelle Faul, Edith M. Lederer and Jason Straziuso of The Associated Press.

A Section on 05/23/2014

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