Nigeria Kidnappers Are 'Al Qaeda Operation'

Nigeria's president has said he was "totally committed" to finding the 223 kidnapped girls who were taken by Boko Haram from a school last month.

Goodluck Jonathan said the Islamist militant group was no longer a local terror threat but has become West Africa's al Qaeda.

Speaking at an international summit in Paris where Nigeria and its neighbours agreed an action plan to fight the rebels, he said Boko Haram was "acting clearly as an al Qaeda operation".

French president Francois Hollande said the plan will involve sharing intelligence, protecting borders, and a quick response in a crisis.

Francois Hollande greets Goodluck Jonathan

Mr Jonathan added: "We have shown our commitment for a regional approach. Without West African countries coming together we will not be able to crush these terrorists."

Chad's president said countries neighbouring Nigeria were ready to wage war against the militants as fears mount the group will spread beyond its borders and destabilise the wider region.

"There is determination to tackle this situation head on ...to launch a war, a total war on Boko Haram," Idriss Deby said.

Earlier, Mr Jonathan's aide Dr Doyin Okupe told Sky News the president would visit the town where the girls were snatched and said the disclosure he had cancelled a trip because of safety fears was a "misconception".

Nigerian security forces say they are not equipped to tackle Boko Haram

"We are committed to ensuring we get these girls released," he said.

The announcement by his office on Friday had prompted outrage among relatives of the girls, in a community already angry that is has taken the president so long to visit the town.

Mr Jonathan was on Saturday put under pressure from the international community to deal effectively with the problem of Boko Haram at the Paris summit.

He was urged by Foreign Secretary William Hague to improve significantly the security forces, who Mr Hague described as "not well-structured". Nigeria had to provide a "more effective response", Mr Hague said.

Mr Hague said Nigeria needed to work more closely with the neighbouring states of Cameroon, Niger and Chad, to create an "intelligence cell" to combat the insurgents.

Michelle Obama joined the #Bring Back Our Girls campaign

President Hollande said Boko Haram was linked to al Qaeda and was now a direct threat to the West.

It comes as Nigerian police told Sky News they lacked the equipment to prevent another attack by Boko Haram. There has also been mounting anger over missed opportunities to rescue the girls in the immediate aftermath of the school attack.

Leaders from Nigeria's neighbours were present at the summit along with Mr Hague, Mr Hollande and a senior official at the US State Department.

There have been long-running hostilities between Nigeria and Cameroon, which has significantly damaged the potential for joint action against Boko Haram.

However, with Mr Jonathan's attempt to drive the Islamist movement out, many have fled to the Cameroon border and the rebels have recently carried out several attacks in the country.

On Saturday, rebels attacked a Chinese plant in the north of Cameroon, killing one worker and abducting a further 10, according to reports.

The international community has galvanised efforts to find the girls, who were kidnapped on April 14, with Britain, France and US sending specialist teams and equipment.

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