The Nigerian military knows where the Boko Haram Islamic sect is keeping the over 200 teenagers abducted from Government Girls Secondary School, Chibok, Borno State, the Chief of Defence Staff, Air Chief Marshal Alex Badeh, has said.

He also spoke on why the girls, who were abducted from their hostel in the night of April 14, have yet to be rescued.

Speaking yesterday at Defence Headquarters in Abuja, while receiving a visiting delegation of the Board and Management of the National Oil Spill Detection and Response Agency (NOSDRA) led by its Board Chairman, Major Lancelot Ayanya (rtd), Badeh said:

“What is happening in our country, most especially in northern Nigeria, is pure madness, and we are killing the future of that region. It’s a pity. All of us here should sympathise with those of us who come from that region.

“We are hoping and while we are fighting, we are also praying so that we can get over this madness. It is unfortunate that those girls were kidnapped. It is not about the number that really matters but the fact is; peoples’ children have been kidnapped.

“We were given information about where they are. We can’t go with our armoury to where they are; otherwise, we will go and kill them. If you go and kill them, then, you will not have achieved anything. But I know we will get those girls. I know we will get them.”

News Express reports that Badeh’s disclosure vindicates Senators Ahmed Zannah (Borno Central) and Ali Ndume (Borno South), both of whom, speaking on the floor of the Senate on Tuesday, accused the military and the Jonathan administration of having woefully failed to act on intelligence reports that could have led to the rescue of the innocent girls.

•Photo shows Chief of Defence Staff, Air Chief Marshal Alex Badeh.