By Our Reporter
The Nigerian Indigenous National Alliance for Self-determination (NINAS) has called on the governments of the United States, Britain, France, Russia, Germany and other top European and Western countries to impose heavy sanctions on Nigerian government for allegedly undermining democracy and continuously abusing human rights.
The group also urged the American government and European countries to stop selling arms to the Nigerian government, alleging that previous arms sold to the Buhari-led government with borrowed funds have found their way into the hands of Fulani herdsmen, Boko Haram, ISIS and other terrorists that are currently terrorising the indigenous people of the South and Middle Belt of Nigeria.
NINAS is the umbrella body of leading regional self-determination groups in the South and Middle Belt with Ilana Omo Oodua representing the Yoruba bloc, Lower Niger Congress representing the South-South and South East and Middle Belt Forum representing the Middle Belt bloc.
The group declared a constitutional force majure (CFM) on December 16, 2020, rejecting the 1999 constitution of Nigeria as the basis for unitary Nigeria and called for a United Nations supervised referendum for the people of the South and Middle Belt to decide their sovereignty.
The CFM signatories who wrote the petition to the U.S. government and European countries, according to a statement made available to newsmen on Thursday by the Communications Manager of NINAS, Mr. Maxwell Adeleye, included a renowned historian, Emeritus Professor Banji Akintoye; former President-General of Ohanaeze Ndigbo, Chief Nnia Nwodo; respected Don, Prof. Yusuf Turaki; Secretary-General of NINAS, Barr. Tony Nnadi; Pioneer Commissioner for Education in Osun State and National Chairman of Ilana Omo Oodua, Professor Wale Adeniran, among others.
The letter read in part, “We the people of the South and Middle Belt under the aegis of Nigerian Indigenous National Alliance for Self-determination (NINAS) 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 defenceless 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 ammunition bought from your countries with impunity.