Garba Shehu, presidential spokesman, says farmers killed in Borno state did not get military clearance before visiting their farms.
Shehu told the BBC on Monday that though the military is in “full control” of all parts of Borno, the farmers and residents ought to get clearance before visiting certain areas.
Suspected Boko Haram members attacked Zabarmari, about 20 kilometres from Maiduguri, at the weekend, killing at least 45 farmers.
The attack was described by the United Nations 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.
“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,” he said.
“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.”
