close
Monday, May 29, 2023

Garba Shehu regrets blaming slain Borno farmers to defend Buhari regime

In a recent interview with the BBC, however, Mr Shehu, who served as Mr Buhari’s spokesman for eight years, said he regrets his statements on the killing of the Borno rice farmers.

• May 28, 2023
Presidential spokesman Garba Shehu
Presidential spokesman Garba Shehu

As he prepares to leave office at the expiration of President Muhammadu Buhari’s tenure on May 29, Garba Shehu says he deeply regretted blaming Borno farmers who were killed by terrorists for not obtaining permission before going to their farms.

The presidential media aide had in November 2020, granted an interview with the BBC to blame the rice farmers for failing to obtain security clearance before returning till their fields.

Mr Shehu was at the time reacting to reports that over 70 farmers had been killed in Zabarmari village by Boko Haram insurgents.

His take sparked a wave of criticisms against the Buhari regime following a Peoples Gazette report. Many Nigerians deemed Mr Shehu callous and insensitive for blaming victims who were striving to feed themselves for their own deaths.

In a recent interview with the BBC, however, Mr Shehu, who served as Mr Buhari’s spokesman for eight years, said he regrets his statements on the killing of the Borno rice farmers.

“When Boko Haram killed more than 50 farmers, some were even saying they were 110 in Zabarmari Borno State, and the abduction of more than 300 girls in Kankara Katsina State.

“In all these two incidents, security authoritatively told me false information, I used it but later was proven otherwise. Like Kankara case where about 300 girls were abducted but the persons that should ideally know the situation told me that those kidnapped were not more than 10, I am still in pain because of these,” Mr Shehu said. 

The outgoing Buhari regime was characterised by widespread killings and kidnappings for ransom by bandits and terrorists with the government spokespeople sweating to explain the malaise away. 

We have recently deactivated our website's comment provider in favour of other channels of distribution and commentary. We encourage you to join the conversation on our stories via our Facebook, Twitter and other social media pages.

More from Peoples Gazette

Katsina State

Politics

Katsina youths pledge to deliver over 2 million votes to Atiku

“Katsina State is Atiku’s political base because it is his second home.”

Abuja

Tinubu sworn in as Nigeria’s 16th president, Buhari bows out

Bola Tinubu of the All Progressives Congress has been sworn in as Nigeria’s 16th president.

Politics

Tinubu’s inauguration as president, blackmail won’t dampen my spirit: Obi

“I didn’t start this race hoping it will be over in a year. We are in a battle with an entrenched establishment. We are in a long battle.”

NationWide

Tinubu: Jonathan slams Yakubu’s INEC, police for allowing election rigging

“The electoral management body shares more than 60 per cent of the blame. Because if they do their work well, the politicians will have no choice but to follow the rules.”

Kwara state governor, AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq

States

Governor AbdulRazaq promises to improve Kwara

Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq has reiterated his commitment to improving Kwara.

Yusuf Gagdi

Abuja

National Assembly: Gagdi insists on being next speaker

Yusuf Gagdi (APC-Plateau) says he has not dropped his ambition to contest the speakership position of the 10th House of Representatives.

Lagos Central Mosque

Hot news Home top

Buhari orders Dodan Barracks to return Obalende prayer ground to mosque

The president directed that the “desecration of the Obalende Eid prayer ground by its profane use as a dumpsite should stop with immediate effect.”