Michelle Obama to deliver presidential address and call for Nigerian girls' release

Michelle Obama will on Saturday deliver the weekly presidential address, replacing her husband and using the speech to call for the release of the Nigerian schoolgirls

The First Lady has announced that she will present the weekly presidential address from the White House, in an unusual break from tradition.

Mrs Obama is planning to use the radio and live-streamed statement to call for the release of the 276 Nigerian girls who were abducted by Islamist militant group Boko Haram.

"As the mother of two young daughters, Mrs Obama is taking up the opportunity to express outrage and heartbreak the president and she share over the kidnapping," said Eric Schultz, White House deputy spokesman.

"The First Lady hopes that the courage of these young girls serves as an inspiration and a call to action for people around the world to fight to ensure that every girl receives the education that is their birthright."

Mrs Obama has accompanied her husband for the presidential address before, but it is the first time that she has given the speech alone.

And although it is an unusual move, it is not unprecedented – Laura Bush, wife of George W. Bush, was the first to do so in 2001, and took the opportunity to denounce the treatment of women in Afghanistan.

Following the kidnapping of 276 girls on April 14, a campaign to secure their return has mushroomed. Activists are urging the Nigerian government to do more, and claim that President Goodluck Jonathan has been slow to respond and uninterested in their fate.

Mrs Obama last week posted a photo of herself holding up a sign reading "#Bring Back Our Girls" to show her support for the campaign.