Nigeria’s National Council of State is promising “some good news” very soon about the fate of more than 200 schoolgirls held captive by Islamic extremists for nearly three months.

At a briefing on a council meeting led Tuesday by President Goodluck Jonathan, Gov. Godswill Akpabio says the question is not whether the girls can be rescued but how to do it without endangering their lives.

The council commended Nigeria’s military and security agents, who have been criticized for failing to rescue the girls or curb an escalating Islamic uprising by Boko Haram that has killed thousands. Some 276 schoolgirls were abducted April 15 by Boko Haram in the northeast town of Chibok. Dozens escaped and 219 are still missing.

Boko Haram wants to swap detained extremists for the girls.