The Nigerian military say they know where the girls kidnapped by Boko Haram are but they will not attempt a rescue.
Nigeria's Chief of Defence Staff said it was "good news for the parents," although he admitted the military would not risk "going there with force."
More than 200 girls were abducted by Boko Haram gunmen from their school in northern Nigeria in April.
Earlier, the BBC learned that a deal to release some of the girls was close but was called off by the government.
The BBC's Will Ross in Abuja says an intermediary met leaders of the Islamist group and visited the place where they were being held.
He says agreement was almost reached to release 50 of the girls in exchange for the release of 100 Boko Haram prisoners.
But the Nigerian government pulled out of the deal after President Goodluck Jonathan attended a conference on the crisis in Paris. The reasons for the withdrawal are unclear.
Nigeria's government is under pressure to do more to tackle the group and bring about the girls' release.
Chief of Defence Staff Air Marshal Alex Badeh said on Monday that "the good news for the parents of the girls is that we know where they are" but said he couldn't reveal the location.
"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 added.
Mr Badeh was addressing demonstrators who had marched to the Ministry of Defence in Abuja to protest against the government's response.
"Nobody should come and say the Nigerian military does not know what it's doing," he told the crowd. "We know what we are doing." So do we - absolutely nothing! I seriously doubt that they know where the girls are even though a mediator was there. One simply can't believe anything the Nigerian government or military say.
On the other hand, Boko Haram may be brazen enough to not care if the military knows where they are keeping the girls. It's not like they can do anything about it.
"The president is solidly behind us. The president has empowered us to do the work," Mr Badeh said. Good grief!
Nigeria's Chief of Defence Staff said it was "good news for the parents," although he admitted the military would not risk "going there with force."
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| CDS Air Marshall Alex Badeh (in blue) told protesters, "we will get the girls back"! |
Earlier, the BBC learned that a deal to release some of the girls was close but was called off by the government.
The BBC's Will Ross in Abuja says an intermediary met leaders of the Islamist group and visited the place where they were being held.
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| Nigerian President Goodluck Jonathan sits alongside Cameroon President Paul Biya, left, and French President Francois Hollande at a summit at the Elysee Palace in Paris - 17 May 2014 |
But the Nigerian government pulled out of the deal after President Goodluck Jonathan attended a conference on the crisis in Paris. The reasons for the withdrawal are unclear.
Nigeria's government is under pressure to do more to tackle the group and bring about the girls' release.
Chief of Defence Staff Air Marshal Alex Badeh said on Monday that "the good news for the parents of the girls is that we know where they are" but said he couldn't reveal the location.
"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 added.
Mr Badeh was addressing demonstrators who had marched to the Ministry of Defence in Abuja to protest against the government's response.
"Nobody should come and say the Nigerian military does not know what it's doing," he told the crowd. "We know what we are doing." So do we - absolutely nothing! I seriously doubt that they know where the girls are even though a mediator was there. One simply can't believe anything the Nigerian government or military say.
On the other hand, Boko Haram may be brazen enough to not care if the military knows where they are keeping the girls. It's not like they can do anything about it.
"The president is solidly behind us. The president has empowered us to do the work," Mr Badeh said. Good grief!
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