The Presidency. through the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and Publicity, Garba Shehu has blamed the 43 rice farmers killed in Borno over the weekend for not getting military clearance before going to their farms.
Garba Shehu told BBC on Monday that the farmers should have waited for military clearance before proceeding to the farms.
He explained that although the military is in “full control” of all parts of Borno, the farmers and residents ought to get clearance before visiting certain areas.
The attack was described by the United Nations as “the most violent attack” targeted at civilians in 2020.
Shehu, however, blamed the farmers the incident, saying they should not have gone to the farms without clearance.
According to him: “People need to understand what it is like in the Lake Chad area. Much of those areas have been liberated by Boko Haram terrorists but there are a number of spaces that have not been cleared for the return of villagers who have been displaced.
“Ideally, all of these places ought to probably be allowed to pass the test of military clearance before settlers or even farmers resume activities on those fields.”
When the BBC clarified if he was blaming the farmers for the attack, Shehu said: “Not exactly, but the truth has to be said. Is there any clearance by the military which is in total control of those areas?
Did anybody ask to resume activities? I have been told by the military leaders that they have not been so advised.”
He argued visiting certain places in the north-east, which has come under the weight of Boko Haram insurgency for more than 10 years, is “a window that the terrorists have exploited”.
“The military is not present on every inch of space in that area,” he said, adding: “Even if the people are ready to go back, some of these areas have been mined and mine clearance has to be carried out first.”
BizWatch Nigeria had reported earlier that a Federal Government delegation led by the Senate President, Ahmad Lawan arrived in Maiduguri, Borno State by mid-day on Monday on a condolence visit over the killing of rice farmers at the weekend by terrorists.
The delegation was received on arrival at the Airport by the Borno State Deputy Governor, Usman Umar Gadafu.
Members of the delegation include the Chief of Staff to the President, Ibrahim Gambari; Ministers of Federal Capital Territory, Mohammed Bello; Communications and Digital Economy, Ali Pantami, and the Minister of State for Agriculture, Mustapha Baba Shehuri.
