Stop Loans To Nigeria, South And Middle Belt Leaders Warn International Lenders

June 28, (THEWILL) – Notable Nigerian leaders from the South and the Middle Belt have warned the inter­national community against giving loans to the government, say­ing, “Nigeria is now a country with questionable sovereignty.”

The leaders, under the auspices of the Nigerian Indigenous Nationali­ties Alliance for Self-determination (NINAS), warned the World Bank, International Monetary Fund (IMF), United Nations, African Union, Eu­ropean Union, United States, French, Chinese and British governments to cease giving loans to the Nigerian government, stressing that granting a “disputed project” loan can only be considered an act of neg­ligence.

The leaders, in a statement signed by Otunba Shade Olukoya, Treasurer, Ilana Omo Oodua, and Chair­man, Steering Committee of NINAS, read: “Again, we re­mind the international com­munity that Nigeria is now a disputed project. This was articulated in our press con­ference of December 16, 2020, when we declared a constitu­tional force majeure.

“Subsequent activities as articulated at press confer­ences of March 17, 2021, and April 17, 2021, emphasise that Nigeria remains a disputed project. Knowing this and lending to a disputed project can only be considered negli­gence.

“For the avoidance of doubt, the indigenous na­tions will not, and cannot be expected to repay such loans or allow their assets to be used as collateral to offset the loans.”

Notable members of the group are former Military Vice President, Commodore Ebitu Ukiwe (rtd.); former governor of Plateau State, Jonah Jang; historian and Second Republic member of the Senate, Banji Akintoye; former President-General of Ohanaeze Ndigbo, Chief Nnia Nwodo; respected don, Prof. Yusuf Turaki, and 124 others.

NINAS is the multi-ethnic alliance of the indigenous peoples of the Middle Belt, Ilana Omo Oodua (the for­mer Western region), and the Lower Niger (former Eastern and Mid-Western regions).

Although each group works separately in their blocs, they come together as the Movement for New Nige­ria (MNN) Alliance.

MNN is the alliance of the three platforms (MBC, IOO, and LNC) that are the keep­ers/custodians of the self-de­termination strategy.

NINAS essentially is the alliance of the indigenous peoples of the Middle Belt, Oodua, and Lower Niger blocs seeking self-determination for each ethnic nationality..