43 farmers killed by Boko Haram were not cleared to farm — Presidency

The Presidency on Monday said the 43 farmers killed by Boko Haram Terrorists on Saturday in Borno State did not have military clearance to be on the rice farms when the attack was carried out.

The Senior Special Assistant to President Muhammadu Buhari on Media and Publicity, Mallam Garba Shehu, said this in an interview with the British Broadcasting Corporation on Monday.

Shehu told BBC: “The government is sad that this tragic incident has happened.

“Forty-three or thereabout of innocent farm workers, most of them had their throats slit by a heartless band of terrorists.

“People need to know what it is like in the Lake Chad Basin area.

“Much of those areas have been liberated from Boko Haram Terrorists, but there are a number of spaces that have not been cleared for the return of villagers who have been displaced.

“So, ideally, all of these places ought to pass the test of military clearances before farmers or settlers resume activities on those fields.”

Asked if he was not blaming the farmers for going to the area, Shehu said: “Not exactly but the truth has to be said.

“Was there any clearance by the military which is in total control of those areas?

“Did anybody ask to resume activity?

“I have been told by the military leaders that they had not been so advised and certainly, therefore, it was a window that the terrorists exploited.

“The military is not present in every inch of space in that area.

Even if the people are willing to go back, a lot of those areas have been mined and mine clearance needs to be carried out and those areas must be cast as being ok for human habitation or agricultural activity.”