Nigerian President Goodluck Jonathan has been in talks with several world powers to secure their assistance towards rescuing 223 schoolgirls said to be in the captivity of Boko Haram militants.

In a television interview Sunday night, President Jonathan disclosed that he is seeking help from US President Barack Obama, the leaders of France, Britain and China to overcome Nigeria’s present security challenges.

“We are talking to countries we think can help us out… The United States is number one. I have talked to President Obama at least twice” regarding assisting Nigeria with its security challenges, Jonathan said.

He did not say when exactly he opened the talks with the US president and other world leaders.

File Photo: Jonathan meets Obama

“We will get over our (security) challenge,” he stated.

Jonathan dismissed insinuations that his government was negotiating with Boko Haram Islamist extremists, saying that it is faceless group.

“You don’t negotiate with somebody you don’t know… The issue of negotiation has not come up,” he said.