Pan-northern socio-political group, the Arewa Consultative Forum, the opposition Peoples Democratic Party, and the Civil Society Legislative Advocacy Centre, has condemned the Federal Government’s report on the insurgency’s victory in the country.

On Saturday, the terrorists silted 43 rice farmers’ throats on their farms at Kwashebe, Borno State despite the government’s claim of victory over the insurgents.

Though the United Nations on Sunday declared that 110 farmers lost their lives, the Nigerian government said 43 people were killed.

According to the United Nations Humanitarian Coordinator in Nigeria, Mr. Edward Kallon, “At least 110 civilians were ruthlessly killed and many others were wounded in this attack.”

On Monday, the Minister of Information and Culture, Mohammed, after his courtesy visit to the Benue State Governor, Samuel Ortom, said that Nigerians would remain at the mercy of terrorists as Nigerians are denied access to ammunitions.

The minister, describing the gruesome murder of the rice farmers as ‘unfortunate’ disclosed that to destroy the terrorist group, the country needed more support from global partners as well as acquiring adequate weapons to fight them.

Mohammed said, “When we talk about terrorism, people don’t seem to appreciate that terrorism is not a local issue, it is a global issue and there is no part of the world that doesn’t experience its own pocket of terrorism.”

“But you must also note that we are dealing with terrorists who are financed globally and we also need more support from global partners, for instance, Nigeria has made attempts to acquire better and more effective a platform to deal with the terrorists but for one reason or the other we have been denied this platform, these weapons and without adequate weapons or platform, we remain at the mercy of terrorists.”

Also on Monday, the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and Publicity, Shehu, in his interview with the BBC, sad though the incident was a tragedy truth must be told.

Shehu said, “The government is sad that this tragic incident has happened. 43 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.”

It was reported that when the minister was asked if he was not blaming the farmers for going to the area, Shehu responded, “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.”

This attracted different reaction from Nigerians over the presidential aide’s comment.

Shehu in response to the criticisms said his statement on the killing of the rice farmers was not because he lacked sympathy for the victims.

He noted that he was not supporting the gruesome murder but was only explaining the military procedures on safe movement.

Shehu said this in his post on his Facebook page and Twitter handle, @GarShehu.

The presidential aide stated that Borno State still remained essentially a military zone, hence much of where people go or what they do are governed by the urgent situation of security which needs extreme efforts.

He wrote, “Routinely, traders, administration officials and even the UN agencies get the green light to go to many of the areas to avoid trouble.

“Information from security agencies says that the Zabarmari marshlands are infested with land mines and movements in around those areas subject to military oversight.

“No one is delighted with the massacre in Zabarmari and there is nothing anybody will gain by playing blame game.

“The question I tried to answer on BBC was: did the security sign off on the area as being free of mines and terrorists? The honest answer is, no.

“I’m human with tons of compassion and empathy, and could not have said that the victims deserved their fate for ignoring security clearance.

“I was merely explaining the mode of military operations in the war zone of the Northeast. There are areas that are still volatile that require security clearance which is intended to put people out of harm’s way.

“When tragedies occur, questions arise in terms of how something happened in order to avoid a recurrence. Informing the military of our movements in an area of volatility and uncertainty is intended to preserve public safety.

“Explaining why something happened doesn’t mean I have no sympathy for the victims. I was just explaining the military procedures on the safe movement of the people and not supporting the death of the victims.”

Meanwhile, Kallon also lamented that several women may have been kidnapped in the attack.

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