Nigeria's leader seeks help over missing girls

Nigeria's president appealed for international help to find, and ensure the release of, 276 schoolgirls abducted by suspected Boko Haram fighters, amid criticism over government inaction. Goodluck Jonathan on Sunday sought help from the world's powers on security issues, Al-Jazeera reported. "This is a trying time for this country... it is painful," he said, and pleaded for the cooperation of parents, guardians and the local communities in the rescue efforts. "We will get over our (security) challenge," he stated, adding that Nigerians were "justified if they expressed their anger against government" over the perceived slowness in rescuing the girls who were kidnapped from their hostel in Chibok town, in Northeast Borno state, on April 14. He assured that the "disappearance" of the girls would not be another global "mystery" in reference to the missing Malaysian passenger jet that has not been found despite the vast multi-national search deployed.