* Nigeria hosting World Economic Forum for Africa
* Jonathan thanks delegates for coming despite militant threat
* 200 school girls abducted by Islamists still missing (Adds parents report troops arrive in Chibok, Islamic organisation)
By Matthew Mpoke Bigg and Lanre Ola
ABUJA/MAIDUGURI, May 8 (Reuters) - Nigerian President Goodluck Jonathan pledged on Thursday to find more than 200 schoolgirls abducted by Islamist rebels, as the hostage crisis overshadowed his opening address to a major conference designed to showcase investment opportunities in Africa's biggest economy.
Speaking at the World Economic Forum (WEF) being hosted in the capital Abuja, Jonathan thanked foreign nations including the United States, Britain, France and China for their support in trying to rescue the girls, who were kidnapped from a secondary school on April 14 by Boko Haram.
He thanked delegates for coming despite the danger posed by the militants, then quickly moved on to a speech about creating jobs in African economies.
"As a nation we are facing attack from terrorism," Jonathan told delegates. "I believe that the kidnap of these girls will be the beginning of the end of terrorism in Nigeria."
Despite such pledges, Jonathan admitted on national television this week that he had no idea where the girls were. Continued...
Source : http://af.reuters.com/article/nigeriaNews/idAFL6N0NU3H220140508
