(CNN) -- A top Nigerian military official believes he knows the whereabouts of girls kidnapped last month, but he says the nation's military will not use force to try to rescue them, a state news report said Monday.
"We want our girls back. I can tell you that our military can and will do it, but where they are held, can we go there with force?" asked Air Chief Marshal Alex Badeh.
"Nobody should say Nigerian military does not know what it is doing; we can't kill our girls in the name of trying to get them back."
His comments were reported by the News Agency of Nigeria, a state-run news service.
Badeh continued: "The good news for the parents of the girls is that we know where they are, but we cannot tell you.
"We cannot come and tell you the military secret, just leave us alone, we are working to get the girls back," he reportedly said.
In response to the news, Pentagon spokesman Adm. John Kirby told CNN U.S. officials were not able to confirm the report.
(http://i.cdn.turner.com/cnn/.e/img/3.0/mosaic/bttn_close.gif) (http://i2.cdn.turner.com/cnn/dam/assets/140513061929-intv-elbagir-nigeria-mothers-of-missing-girls-00000522-story-body.jpg)Mother of missing girl: 'Our hearts hurt' (http://i.cdn.turner.com/cnn/.e/img/3.0/mosaic/bttn_close.gif) Women in Abuja, Nigeria, hold a candlelight vigil on Wednesday, May 14, one month after nearly 300 schoolgirls were kidnapped by the Islamist militant group Boko Haram. The abductions have attracted national and international outrage. People march in Lagos, Nigeria, on Monday, May 12, to demand the release of schoolgirls kidnapped from Chibok. Catholic faithful take Holy Communion and pray for the safety of the kidnapped schoolgirls in a morning Mass in their honor in Abuja, Nigeria's capital, on Sunday, May 11. Catholic faithful attend a morning Mass in honor of the kidnapped Chibok schoolgirls, in Abuja, Nigeria, on May 11. Catholics nuns pray during a morning Mass in honor of the kidnapped Chibok schoolgirls, in Abuja, Nigeria, on May 11. A woman attends a demonstration Tuesday, May 6, that called for the Nigerian government to rescue nearly 300 schoolgirls who were kidnapped last month in Chibok, Nigeria. The girls were taken by the Islamist militant group Boko Haram. Abuja Hosea Sambido, a leader in the Chibok community, speaks during a rally in Abuja, Nigeria, on May 6, pressing for the release of the abducted girls. Brig. Gen. Chris Olukolade, Nigeria's top military spokesman, speaks to people at a demonstration on May 6. Women march Monday, May 5, in Chibok. People rally in Lagos, Nigeria, on Thursday, May 1. Police stand guard during a demonstration in Lagos on May 1. Protesters take part in a "million woman march" on Wednesday, April 30, in Abuja. Obiageli Ezekwesili, former Nigerian education minister and vice president of the World Bank's Africa division, leads a march of women in Abuja on April 30. A woman cries out during a demonstration Tuesday, April 29, in Abuja with other mothers whose daughters have been kidnapped. A man weeps as he joins parents of the kidnapped girls during a meeting with the Borno state governor in Chibok on Tuesday, April 22. Mothers weep during a meeting with the Borno state governor on April 22 in Chibok. Four female students who were abducted by gunmen and reunited with their families walk in Chibok on Monday, April 21. Borno state governor Kashim Shettima, center, visits the Chibok school on April 21. Nigerians protest over kidnapped schoolgirls Nigerians protest over kidnapped schoolgirls Nigerians protest over kidnapped schoolgirls Nigerians protest over kidnapped schoolgirls Nigerians protest over kidnapped schoolgirls Nigerians protest over kidnapped schoolgirls Nigerians protest over kidnapped schoolgirls Nigerians protest over kidnapped schoolgirls Nigerians protest over kidnapped schoolgirls Nigerians protest over kidnapped schoolgirls Nigerians protest over kidnapped schoolgirls Nigerians protest over kidnapped schoolgirls Nigerians protest over kidnapped schoolgirls Nigerians protest over kidnapped schoolgirls Nigerians protest over kidnapped schoolgirls Nigerians protest over kidnapped schoolgirls Nigerians protest over kidnapped schoolgirls Nigerians protest over kidnapped schoolgirls HIDE CAPTION << < (http://i2.cdn.turner.com/cnn/dam/assets/140515175206-33-week-in-photos-0515-topics.jpg) 1 (http://i2.cdn.turner.com/cnn/dam/assets/140512095958-01-nigeria-0512-topics.jpg) 2 (http://i2.cdn.turner.com/cnn/dam/assets/140511103218-01-nigeria-girls-0511-topics.jpg) 3 (http://i2.cdn.turner.com/cnn/dam/assets/140511103509-02-nigeria-girls-0511-topics.jpg) 4 (http://i2.cdn.turner.com/cnn/dam/assets/140511103741-03-nigeria-girls-0511-topics.jpg) 5 (http://i2.cdn.turner.com/cnn/dam/assets/140506185644-01-nigerian-kidnapping-protest-0506-topics.jpg) 6 (http://i2.cdn.turner.com/cnn/dam/assets/140507123348-01-nigeria-0507-topics.jpg) 7 (http://i2.cdn.turner.com/cnn/dam/assets/140506185823-02-nigerian-kidnapping-protest-0506-topics.jpg) 8 (http://i2.cdn.turner.com/cnn/dam/assets/140506110255-01-nigeria-0506-topics.jpg) 9 (http://i2.cdn.turner.com/cnn/dam/assets/140506110436-restricted-02-nigeria-0506-topics.jpg) 10 (http://i2.cdn.turner.com/cnn/dam/assets/140506110703-03-nigeria-0506-topics.jpg) 11 (http://i2.cdn.turner.com/cnn/dam/assets/140501065549-01-chibok-schoolgirls-restricted-topics.jpg) 12 (http://i2.cdn.turner.com/cnn/dam/assets/140501075910-02-chibok-schoolgirls-topics.jpg) 13 (http://i2.cdn.turner.com/cnn/dam/assets/140501075917-03-chibok-schoolgirls-topics.jpg) 14 (http://i2.cdn.turner.com/cnn/dam/assets/140506110833-04-nigeria-0506-topics.jpg) 15 (http://i2.cdn.turner.com/cnn/dam/assets/140501075924-04-chibok-schoolgirls-restricted-topics.jpg) 16 (http://i2.cdn.turner.com/cnn/dam/assets/140501075930-05-chibok-schoolgirls-topics.jpg) 17 (http://i2.cdn.turner.com/cnn/dam/assets/140501075936-06-chibok-schoolgirls-topics.jpg) 18 > >> (http://i2.cdn.turner.com/cnn/dam/assets/140515175206-33-week-in-photos-0515-horizontal-gallery.jpg) Photos: Nigerians protest over kidnapped girls More than 200 schoolgirls were kidnapped in northern Nigeria last month by Boko Haram (http://www.theinfostride.com/forum/'http://www.cnn.com/2014/04/17/world/africa/boko-haram-explainer/index.html'), an act that drew international condemnation.
(http://i.cdn.turner.com/cnn/.e/img/3.0/mosaic/bttn_close.gif) (http://i2.cdn.turner.com/cnn/dam/assets/140523103852-nr-pkg-asher-nigeria-teachers-fear-boko-haram-00020203-story-body.jpg)Nigeria: 'Teachers live in fear' Kidnapped girls: How you can help (http://www.theinfostride.com/forum/'http://www.cnn.com/2014/05/13/world/iyw-nigerian-girls/index.html?iidarticle_sidebar')
The terror group abducted an estimated 276 girls on April 14 from a boarding school in Chibok. The Nigerian military suffered an embarrassing setback when it retracted a report that nearly all the kidnapped girls were released.
Dozens escaped, but more than 200 girls are still missing.
Girl: 'How I escaped Boko Haram (http://www.theinfostride.com/forum/'http://www.cnn.com/2014/05/11/world/africa/nigeria-escaped-schoolgirl-speaks/index.html?iidarticle_sidebar')'
Nigerians and others have accused their government of not acting swiftly or efficiently enough to protect the girls seized in the dead of night.
Boko Haram translates as "Western education is a sin" in the Hausa language. The militant group says its aim is to impose a stricter enforcement of Sharia law across Nigeria, Africa's most populous nation, which is split between a majority Muslim north and a mostly Christian south.
Boko Haram's attacks have intensified in recent years.
Hagel: No 'solid evidence' on whereabouts of Nigeria schoolgirls (http://www.theinfostride.com/forum/'http://www.cnn.com/2014/05/23/world/africa/nigeria-schoolgirls-hagel/index.html')
CNN's Jim Sciutto contributed to this report.
Source: CNN.com