A new coalition, Nigerian Indigenous National Alliance for Self-determination, has asked various developed countries, United States, Britain, France, Russia, Germany, and others to take tough actions against the Nigerian government for its disrespect for democracy and human rights abuses.
They asked these countries to end the sale of arms to the Nigerian Government, noting that arms already delivered to the Buhari administration with borrowed funds have found their way into the hands of herdsmen, Boko Haram, ISIS, and other terrorists who now uses these weapons to terrorize the Indigenous peoples of the South and Middle Belt of the country.
The group announced this development via a statement issued by its Communications Manager, Mr. Maxwell Adeleye.
NINAS brings together the leading regional Self-determination Groups in the South and Middle Belt of Nigeria. Within it, Ilana Omo Oodua represents the Yoruba bloc; Lower Niger Congress represents the South-South and South East, while the Middle Belt Forum representing the Middle Belt bloc.
Part of the letter says:
“We the people of the South and Middle Belt under the aegis of Nigerian Indigenous National Alliance for Self-determination call on you to sanction the government of Nigeria for undermining democratic ethics and abusing people’s rights to live; to own property; to liberty; to dignity; to peaceful assembly and to self-determination.
“The Arms being sold to the Nigerian Government with funds borrowed from your territory are now being used to kill, oppress, harass, intimidate and strangulate harmless protesters and defenseless people of the South and Middle Belt of Nigeria who are exercising their rights to self-determination and peaceful assembly.
“Boko Haram Terrorists, Fulani herdsmen, and Bandits are now maiming, harassing, and killing our people on the roads and in their farmlands with same arms and ammunitions bought from your countries with impunity.
“Today, peaceful protest is an aberration in Nigeria. Opposition voices are now being arrested and caged behind the bar for demanding good governance and their inalienable right to self-determination.
“Freedom of speech is now an essential commodity in Nigeria. The leadership of Nigeria is now censoring the media to prevent free speech to alert the world to the ongoing genocide. Social Media is now under threat in Nigeria.
“We appeal to you, in the interest of peace-loving people of the South and Middle Belt of Nigeria to halt further sale of Arms to the Nigerian Government until the country surrenders the sovereignty of the people back to them.
“For the record, our cardinal demand as a group is for the Nigerian Government to function as the transitional government while a United Nations supervised referendum is organised so the people can exercise their self-determination right and end to unitary Nigeria which has been turned into an apartheid state.
“We demand unconditional abolition of 1999 Constitution of Nigeria which we have shown to be a fraud perpetrated against the people of the South and Middle Belt of Nigeria given that the people did NOT make it.”
Signatories the letter included a renowned Historian, Emeritus Professor Banji Akintoye, former President-General of Ohaneze Ndigbo, Chief Nnia Nwodo; Prof. Yusuf Turaki, Secretary-General of NINAS, Barr. Tony Nnadi, a former Commissioner for Education in Osun State, and National Chairman of Ilana Omo Oodua, Professor Wale Adeniran, amongst others.
