A group under the name,North East Youth Progressive Alliance, has asked the Federal Government to apologise over derogatory remarks to the families of the rice farmers recently killed by Boko Haram terrorists .
The Special Assistant to the President on Media and Publicity, Garba Shehu had in his social media handle,blamed the farmers for going to their farms without seeking permission from the Nigerian Army.
Spokesman of the group,Hussaini Saraki while addressing journalists at the NUJ Press center,Bauchi, late Tuesday, described Shehu’s statement as unfortunate and disrespectful to the dead saying ‘Whoever made that statement is out of his mind,’ adding It is uncalled for and must be withdrawn and apology made to Nigerians immediately.
The group stated that ‘the entire North is bleeding and leaders from the North have chosen to remain silent watching how innocent people are being slaughtered while thousands are displaced and made refugees in their own country,’
“This was not part of the bargain made, neither was it the supposed dividend of democracy promised to our people’ it said.
The Group,as a matter of urgency, urged the federal government to bring to an end all security challenges, and one way to help to curb the problem is by recruiting the youths of Borno to the Nigerian Armyy,Police and Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps ( NSCDC)
It also called on the federal government to ensure that the families of the victims were adequately compensated.
