The Nigerian Indigenous Nationalities Alliance for Self-Determination (NINAS) has described the statement credited to the Nigerian Presidency linking the ongoing 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 in exposing to the world, the ongoing 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 black.
The Chairman of NINAS, Professor Banji Akintoye, in a statement made available to journalists on Thursday through his Communications Manager, Mr. Maxwell Adeleye, said the March, which was organised to show to the world, the 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 Rennaissance 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 Rennaissance 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 Rennaissance Movement (MBRM) have nothing whatsoever to do with IPOB.
“We also want to put it on record that IPOB is not in any way involve in the ongoing 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 Headquaters 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.
Meanwhile, the Yoruba nation secession agitators have held a successful Diaspora mega rally at United Nations General Assembly to press home their quest for the autonomy of the Southwest region from Nigeria.
They called on United Nations to rescue the region from genocide allegedly sponsored by the Nigeria federal government.
According to a statement signed by the Chairman of Yoruba Nation Diaspora Mega (YNDM), Prophet Ologunloluwa and its Secretary, Mr.Jamiu, the group said the achievements recorded at the rally would go a long way in actualisation of the Yoruba Nation autonomy.
The group called on UN “to come to our aids in respect of the genocide in Nigeria before is too late and we passionately appeal to United Kingdom to free Yoruba Nation.”
The statement disclosed that the two-day one million-man protest staged at the front of the United Nations Headquarters in New York was supported by all self-determination groups and media in Diaspora.
They declared: “We have showed the world our plight and that the Yoruba Nation Autonomy will come to reality in no distant time. The quest for Yoruba Nation self-determination is non-negotiable. We have realised that we can no longer keep quiet. The two days mega rallies held at the New York were successful, and we know that it is not enough.
“Another Mega Rally is coming up by September 30th, October 1st & 2nd 2021 in Washington DC which would be powerful.”
The organisation also called on all Yoruba and Southerners across the globe, most especially people based in America, to come out to support the three days Mega Rally coming up on September 30 and October 1st and 2nd 2021 in Washington DC.
“The Yoruba Nation needs to let the world to understand our agitation and the just concluded rally came at a time the UN General Assembly was meeting in New York. The rally has helped in solidifying our self-determination agitation”, it said.
In his own remark, the Chairman of the Nigerian Indigenous Nationalities Alliance for Self-Determination (NINAS), Prof Banji Akintoye said the protest was to draw the attention of world leaders to state-sponsored terrorism against the people of the Middle Belt and Southern Nigeria.
“We need to let the world understand our agitation and the just concluded rally came at a time the UN General Assembly was meeting in New York. The rally has helped in solidifying our self-determination agitation”, Prof. Akintoye noted.
However, the Organization appealed to Benin Republic government to immediately release Chief Sunday Adeyemi (Igboho) unconditionally while “we also demand for the release of Amoda Babatunde, also known as Lady K, by the Department of State services.
“They are not terrorists as labeled by Federal government. They are genuine people fighting for the freedom of their land. It is rather unfortunate that the Federal government is romancing with Boko Haram, armed bandits that are killing, kidnapping, raping innocent women and destroying our crops in the farms without any prosecution while Gumi is moving freely with bandits. What we are saying is enough is enough for killing of our people.
“Federal government should know by now that all their Games are over. We saying No to restructuring, all we need is REFERENDUM. “Nigeria has Expired” as amalgamation started it. We’re not under Nigeria anymore since 2014, and so federal government has no right on Yoruba any more.
“They should stop all their games. And all Yoruba leaders and traditional rulers should come out boldly for Yoruba Nation and Referendum.”
Uche Nwosu is a two time Shell Petroleum PLC award winner in the year 2000;
He won the Shell Award on Investigative Journalism and Environmental Cleanliness.
