NINAS asks Buhari government to address issues raised by protesters

ABIODUN OBA

Professor Banji Akintoye, leader of the Nigerian Indigenous Nationalities Alliance for Self-Determination (NINAS), has called on Buhari government to address issues raised by protesters at the UN in New York.

Akintoye who is coordinates daily protests at the UN in New York said this is better than rather than resorting to blackmail and peddling of fallacies.

 “We shall resume the March on 24th September, Opposite the United Nations Headquarters to tell President Muhammadu Buhari to his face that his Miyyetii Allah people are the enemy number one of the people of South and Middle-Belt of Nigeria, and they are the authentic Terrorists”, he said.

Akintoye, who is also the leader of the Ilana Omo Yoruba, denied that his group was collaborating with the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) in staging protests in New York. 

On the contrary, he said the protest is a collaboration of the Members of Ilana Omo Oodua representing the Yoruba Land, Lower Niger Congress representing the South South and South East and Middle-Belt Renaissance Movement representing the Middle Belt Region. 

He then advised the Buhari government to address all issues raised by the protesters, rather than resorting to blackmail and peddling of fallacies’’ 

“We say to the Presidency that the unintelligent attempt to cause frictions and divisions between the Yoruba people in the West and the Igbo people in the East is dead on arrival. We shall continue to collaborate, peacefully, for the salvation of our people.’’

The statement reads: 

The Nigerian Indigenous Nationalities Alliance for Self-Determination (NINAS) has described the statement credited to the Nigerian Presidency linking the on-going Million-Man Freedom March opposite the United Nations Headquarters, New York, United States of America as an alliance between the Agitators for Self-Determination In Yoruba Land and the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) as an unintelligent attempt to paint the peaceful demonstration black because it has succeeded in exposing to the world, the on-going genocide and fraud being perpetrated by the Fulani-Controlled Nigerian Government against the peoples of the South and Middle-Belt Regions of the Country through the imposed 1999 Constitution. 

The Chairman of NINAS, Professor Banji Akintoye, in a statement made available to Newsmen on Thursday through his Communications Manager, Mr Maxwell Adeleye, said the March, which was organised to show to the world, the ordeal, suffering and subjugation of the indigenous people of the South and Middle of Nigeria in the hands of the Fulani-Controlled Nigerian Government, is a collaboration of the Members of Ilana Omo Oodua representing the Yoruba Land, Lower Niger Congress representing the South South and South East and Middle-Belt Renaissance Movement representing the Middle Belt Region.

Akintoye said NINAS have nothing whatsoever in plans, principle and content to do with IPOB, stating that the Nigerian Government should address all issues raised by the protesters, rather than resorting to blackmail and peddling of fallacies. 

The renowned Historian said rather than losing sleep and temper over the March, the Nigerian Government should, without further delay, declare Miyyetii Allah a Terrorist Organisation as being demanded by NINAS, saying “the real Terrorists in Nigeria are operating under Miyyetii Allah”. 

“Members of Miyyetii Allah have killed scores and thousands of the people in the South and Middle-Belt Regions of Nigeria. They have invaded hundreds of towns and villages, brandishing dangerous weapons to kill, maim and rape our people. The Nigerian Government has done nothing to curtail these marauders. 

“Rather than listen to the yearnings and aspirations of our people, the Buhari led Government has consistently waged war against people who attempt to checkmate the menace of Miyyetii Allah in the name of grazing of Cows.

 “The genocide and Crimes Against Humanity being committed by Miyyetii Allah means nothing to the Nigerian Presidency. The Presidency has declared our Governors in the South Personal Non-grata for enacting laws to checkmate the murderous activities of Miyyetii Allah. 

“Now, the Government is attempting, unintelligently, to criminalise peaceful organisations like NINAS, Ilana Omo Oodua, Lower Niger Congress and Middle-Belt Renaissance Movement for embarking on a peaceful March outside the shores of Nigeria where the guns and ammunitions of the Presidency cannot touch them. 

“For the record, we wish to state very expressly, and with all due respect to whatever they represent, that NINAS and its affiliate organisations – Ilana Omo Oodua (IOO), Lower Niger Congress (LNC) and Middle-Belt Renaissance Movement (MBRM) have nothing whatsoever to do with IPOB. 

“We also want to put it on record that IPOB is not in any way involved in the on-going March in New York. The IPOB Banner you saw was obviously planted by agents of the Nigerian Government masquerading as members of NINAS for photo shoots which we have since unraveled and checkmated. 

“We say to the Presidency that the unintelligent attempt to cause frictions and divisions between the Yoruba people in the West and the Igbo people in the East is dead on arrival. We shall continue to collaborate, peacefully, for the salvation of our people. 

“Our appeal to the Government, therefore, is to address the issues raised in the December 16 2020 Constitution Force Majure declared by NINAS. This appeal is necessary so that Indigenous Nationalities in NINAS Territories can peacefully negotiate for what they want without further delay. 

“Our demand remains conduct of a referendum so that the Indigenous people of the South and Middle-Belt of Nigeria can lawfully and legally decide on their nationhood and sovereignty. We demand for the immediate abolition of the imposed 1999 Constitution.  

“We demand an end to the genocide being perpetrated by Miyyetii Allah against our people. Miyyetii Allah is a Terrorist group and it should be declared such by the United Nations. The invasion of our land in the name of grazing is enough. What is happening in our Territories today is State-sponsored Terrorism and Land grab, not cow grazing. 

“Instead of planting IPOB banners in our March venue with the hope of using it to paint our struggle black before the world leaders on 24th September that he want to address UNGA, we advise President Muhammad Buhari to stop mortgaging our future through borrowing of endless loans. 

“We shall resume the March on 24th September, Opposite the United Nations Headquarters to tell President Muhammad Buhari to his face that his Miyyetii Allah people are the enemy number one of the people of South and Middle-Belt of Nigeria, and they are the authentic Terrorists”, the statement, said.