Nigerian president calls for US help as Boko Haram invade city

Nigeria's President Goodluck Jonathan appealed for more US help in fighting Boko Haram, as the rebels struck again on Saturday and called for a boycott of upcoming general elections.

The head of state for the first time claimed direct links between the Sunni radicals who have been waging a six-year insurgency in Nigeria and the Islamic State group in Syria and Iraq.

He told the Wall Street Journal in an interview: "Are they (the United States) not fighting ISIS? Why can't they come to Nigeria?

"They are our friends. If Nigeria has a problem, then I expect the US to come and assist us."

But Pentagon spokesman Rear Admiral John Kirby said there are no plans to send US troops to Nigeria. "I can tell you that there are no plans as I speak here to send unilaterally, to send or to add US troops into Nigeria. There are no US troops operating in Nigeria," he said. Kirby said the United States was in the early phases of helping establish a multi-national task force of African nations to help Nigeria defeat Boko Haram.