President Obama: US to help Nigeria find kidnapped girls

WASHINGTON -- President Barack Obama says the U.S. will do everything it can to help Nigeria find nearly 300 teenage girls who have been missing since they were kidnapped from school three weeks ago.

The Islamist extremist group Boko Haram has claimed responsibility for the abductions. The group's leader has threatened to sell the girls.

Obama says the Nigerian government has agreed to accept help from U.S. military and law enforcement officials experienced in these types of situations. He says he can only imagine what the girls' parents are going through.

Obama says the immediate priority is finding the girls.

He says the international community will then have to deal with the threat posed by groups like Boko Haram.

Obama commented Tuesday in an interview with Al Roker of NBC's "Today" program.