Respected political leaders from the Middle-Belt and southern part of the country have warned the World Bank, the International Monetary Fund, the United Nations and creditor nations against giving fresh loans to the Nigerian government.
The leaders included a former Military Vice-President of Nigeria, Commodore Ebitu Ukiwe (retd); former Governor of Plateau State, Jonah Jang; Second Republic Senator, Prof. Banji Akintoye; former President-General of the Ohaneze Ndigbo, Chief Nnia Nwodo; and Prof. Yusuf Turaki, among 124 others.
They gave the warning in a statement issued on Sunday by the Chairman of the Steering Committee of the Nigerian Indigenous Nationalities Alliance for Self-Determination, Chief Folashade Olukoya, on behalf of the NINAS.
They also warned the United Nations, the African Union, the European Union, the United States of America, the French, Chinese and British governments to stop giving loans to Nigeria, saying loans borrowed to Nigeria would not be repaid by the ethnic nationalities when they become independent nations.
The statement read, “News reaching the Nigerian Indigenous Nationalities Alliance for Self-Determination says that the Nigerian government has taken on further loans.
“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 the 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.”
The NINAS is an umbrella body for ethnic nationalities in the Middle Belt, South-East, South-West and South-South, pursuing a non-violent means of self-determination for its members.
