Ø ‘Villagers provide information to insurgents’, says Army
Presidential spokesman, Garba Shehu has stated that farmers killed in Borno state did not get military clearance before visiting their farms.
In an interview with the British broadcasting Corporation, (BBC) yesterday, Shehu said though the military is in “full control” of all parts of Borno, the farmers and residents ought to get clearance before visiting certain areas.
Recall that a community, Zabarmari which is about 20 kilometres from Maiduguri was attacked by suspected Boko Haram members at the weekend which led to the killing of at least 45 farmers.
The United Nations has described the attack as the most violent attack targeted at civilians in 2020. Shehu, however, blamed the farmers, whom he said failed to do due diligence by first obtaining clearance before visiting their farms.
When asked by the BBC if he’s blaming the farmers on the attack, he responded: “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 said 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”.
Meanwhile, the Coordinator of Defence Media Operations, John Enenche has stated that some residents of Borno state sabotaged the efforts of the military by providing information on its movement and activities to Boko Haram.
This statement was made by Enenche while answering questions on the killing of 45 farmers at Zabarmari in Jere local government area of Borno state by the insurgents when he featured on a television programme yesterday. He said information gathered from the attack showed that some of the insurgents were already cohabiting with the villagers before the attack.
When asked how the military had no prior intelligence on the attack, Enenche said the army needs information from locals to aid its operation.
