From Oluseye Ojo, Ibadan

Nigerian Indigenous Nationalities Alliance for Self-Determination (NINAS), yesterday, flayed the Presidency for linking its ongoing one million march opposite the United Nations (UN) Headquarters, New York, with activities of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB).

The group, comprising  Ilana Omo Oodua (IOO) for Yorubaland), Lower Niger Congress (LNC) for South East and South South and Middle-Belt Rennaissance Movement (MBRM) for the Middle Belt, in a statement, yesterday, warned the Presidency against creating frictions between the Yoruba and Igbo. It, however, said the one million march in New York had nothing whatsoever to do with IPOB.  

Its chairman, Prof Banji Akintoye, made the clarification in his response to allegation by presidential spokesperson, Garba Garba Shehu, that it was shocking that Yoruba nation  advocates were throwing their lot in with IPOB, a designated terrorist organisation, and that they would be judged by the company they kept.

Akintoye, in a statement by his communications manager, Mr. Maxwell Adeleye replied: “We want to put it on record that IPOB is not in any way involved 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 shots 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 in the East is dead on arrival. We shall continue to collaborate peacefully for the salvation of our people…

“We shall resume the March on September 24, 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.”

Akintoye stated that the peaceful demonstration has succeeded in exposing to the world, the perceived 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. 

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. 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 grabbing not cow grazing.”