UK troops to help free Nigeria girls: Hundreds sent to country to assist local forces in battle against Boko Haram

• Top Nigerian military official says they cannot attempt a rescue operation
• 'We can't kill our girls in the name of trying to get them back,' he said
• Pressure is growing on Nigerian government to bring the girls home safely
• Nigerian military complain they are 'no match' for Boko Haram
  

By DAVID WILLIAMS and IAN DRURY

PUBLISHED: 00:04 GMT, 28 May 2014 | UPDATED: 07:12 GMT, 28 May 2014

Hundreds of British troops are set to be sent to Nigeria to help local forces in their war with Al Qaeda-linked terrorists holding nearly 300 schoolgirls hostage.

Details of the planned deployment emerged as Nigerian officials claimed they now know where the girls are being held but warned any rescue attempt could lead to them being killed by the fanatical Islamist Boko Haram.

Air Marshal Alex Badeh, Nigeria's Chief of Defence Staff, said : 'The good news for the parents of the girls is that we know where they are…but where they are held, can we go there with force? We can't kill our girls in the name of trying to get them back.' 

He refused to elaborate but negotiation has been continuing through third parties and it emerged yesterday a swap deal had been set-up to free around 50 of the hostages last week in exchange for 100 Boko Haram prisoners but this was blocked at the last minute by President Goodwill Jonathan.

With Nigeria's military said to be demoralised and outgunned in the face of Boko Haram, plans have been drawn-up for UK soldiers to be flown to West Africa to provide specialist training to Nigerian forces as part of a package of assistance provided by the British government to tackle the threat posed by the increasingly bold militia.

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