The Senate Foreign Relations Subcommittee on African Affairs meets Thursday to review U.S. assistance to Nigeria in ongoing efforts to recover more than 200 schoolgirls captured by the Islamist group Boko Haram in April.
The hearing will examine U.S. offers of help to the Nigerian government and any impediments that may have slowed the delivery of that help.
Senator Chris Coons (D-Delaware), who chairs the subcommittee, says he hopes the hearing will help to determine what the next steps will be.
"It is my hope that as a result of this hearing we’ll have answers to the question of why it took the Nigerian government so long to respond, what the United States and others can and should do about it, and what the path forward will be," said Coons.
U.S. surveillance planes have begun flying surveillance missions over the remote part of Nigeria where the girls were taken. Advisors have also been sent to the country to advise in the search.
Coons says further assistance in the ongoing search for the kidnapped schoolgirls depends both on the Nigerian government and how the situation develops.
"I think it’s reasonable for the United States to provide intelligence and surveillance assistance, and support for hostage negotiations and trauma recovery in terms of advice and input," said Coons. "Beyond that we’re gonna have to see how the situation unfolds and what the Nigerian is requesting and willing to accept."
Thursday's hearing will also take a broader look at the origins of the year-long campaign of Boko Haram in the region.
Wednesday marked a month since the girls were taken in a nighttime raid in northeastern Nigeria.
