FAQ

NINAS is an aggregation of self-determination initiatives responding together as a Movement, to the Islamic Sharia taken up by 12 contiguous states of the core north (Arewa Bloc), against the background of the imposed 1999 Constitution. In so doing, Arewa Bloc breached the conditions agreed upon before Independence that the Union of Nigeria would be a secular one. Arewa’s taking up of Sharia has been interpreted as an act of Secession, and it placed the non-Sharia part of Nigeria in mortal danger because Sharia is not only against the principles of Democracy, but it stands for death to any who does not subscribe to Sharia. We are now suffering killings and brigandage, and the remedy is to retrieve our self-determination hijacked by the illegitimate 1999 Constitution.

Our self-determination is seized by a 1999 Constitution that we did not make and forces us into a destructive Union that we did not agree to. This intolerable situation culminated in NINAS Proclaiming a Constitutional Force Majeure on 16th December 2020 to end the fraud, and we raised a Union Dispute. The NINAS Movement insists on the inalienable right to self-determination and rejects the Union created by the imposed and illegitimate 1999 Constitution. We have also let the international community know that we have a non-violent proposition: so unitary Nigeria must end, and fresh protocols are democratically agreed upon. The NINAS Movement follows an orderly process for indigenous ethnic nationalities to regain their self-determination in their ancestral land. That is what it is all about.

Yes. Very much so. All are complaining about one constitutional grievance or another. For example, Niger Deltans want resource control denied them by the illegitimate 1999 Constitution foisted upon them – so they want self-determination. People want to control their resources and their future – that is a desire for self-determination. The demand for “Restructuring” is also driven by the desire for self-determination. Now, the Referendum is the mechanism by which the degree of self-determination the people want, is decided. Do they want 60% self-determination? Or 80%? Or 100%? The people decide by Referendum.

NINAS Movement has a framework for Regional Referendums that the international community can relate to, and that interfaces with existing governance structures. It should be made clear that the right to self-determination does not depend on what Abuja (government) thinks. The government itself is a by-product of that 1999 Constitution, and so too is unitary Nigeria. All that is needed is for organized ethnic nations to have an orderly process to present to relevant international bodies and to go to their Referendums. This is what the NINAS Movement provides, as we seek relief from an illegitimate and entrapping document, the so-called, “1999 Constitution”.

Therefore, all those individuals and groups seeking Restructuring or full Independence should join with the NINAS movement since it is not by imposition, but the people will decide how much self-determination they want through Regional Referendums.

So much has happened. Including China pulling back from giving Nigeria a loan. By declaring a Constitutional Force Majeure (CFM) on 16th December 2020, Nigeria became a Disputed Project (because of the Union Dispute). Therefore, any loans entered into from that date come into controversy. We also have the recent USA arms sale embargo against the government

Within 48 hours of the CFM declaration, the Senate began to talk about “constitutional amendments”. What they listed as thematic areas were taken from the grievances listed in the CFM Proclamation. When they began their charade, we reminded them that the National Assembly (NASS) does not have the powers (mandate) for constitution-making. Their pretense soon collapsed. Constitution-making requires constituent powers, and that belongs to the people for they have sovereignty. The NASS is compounding their treason by pretending that we have a Constitution in the first place. They are defying the people. They are defying the people’s sovereignty.

We are making fairly good progress along our pathway to self-determination. Please see the reply to the questions:

• How far has LNC reached in getting self-determination? and
• When will we get self-determination?

No. Not when there is a NINAS Alliance. Can the Caliphate take on the three Alliance Blocs of Lower Niger, Oodua, and Middle Belt? This is not 1967. There is a new awakening and a new reality. The USA, EU, and the UK pointedly told Nigeria that they must not resort to using force. It is to be dialogue and procurement of fresh legal instruments. This is a big development from the international community and it is all coming from the Declaration of Constitutional Force Majeure. The NINAS Alliance is a serious layer of protection. None of the ethnic nationalities of the South and Middle Belt will fight against one another as happened during the civil war.

There is an international regime that moderates and regulates ownership of property, so you can own property anywhere on earth. That is why Nigerians can own property in London, New York, Dubai, etc. The NINAS Alliance gives us the first layer of protection so we can live wherever we want within the Alliance Territory. Furthermore, there will be the Assets Protection and Guarantee Scheme in the Lower Niger Bloc. Going by what happened after the civil war, LNC worked out what we call the Assets Protection and Guarantee Scheme. Basically, the assets belonging to our people located outside our Bloc will be documented, and an inventory made, qualified in terms of economic value, etc. What we require to get that started is already in place. However, first of all, we need the Charter of Relationships to be finalized. Nobody will lose their assets as there is a plan in place to secure them. Our enemies are simply trying to frighten some of us by telling them that gaining self-determination means losses.

The Constitution is simply a Union Agreement. As things stand we have not made any Union Agreement since it got DISMANTLED in 1966 with the military coups. Making a Constitution has nothing to do with the National Assembly, it is beyond their powers. You can find out the full details of Constitution-making on the internet.

The Middle Belt Bloc will have unlimited access to the waterfront (coastline). Let it be made very clear that the essence of the NINAS Alliance is for a BETTERMENT of EVERYONE’s situation.

Is it right to hold people together against their will and call it “Nigeria”? NINAS has a simple proposition to bring a civilized solution to ethnic nations held against their will. NINAS activated a process to bring every side including international stakeholders to the table. So that in an organized manner interfacing with the existing governance order we can resolve the National Question of Nigeria in distress – we do not want anarchy! The imposed and illegitimate 1999 Constitution must go down, and ethnic nationalities/constituent components will decide what to do with their sovereignties via self-determination Regional Referendums.

It is a Security and Economic Alliance. All of us in the Alliance share the same values of holding human life sacrosanct, and we believe that all men are born equal. Also, we all want similar things such as global standard education, healthcare, housing, etc. We will work out the details of our future relationship just as any other Alliance, eg the European Union nations do.

Firstly, NINAS is a Movement, not an organization. The self-determination organization in our Bloc is Lower Niger Congress (LNC). LNC promotes non-violence and transparency. We have dialogued with the ethnic nationalities in our Bloc; we have held a Solemn Assembly where our map was agreed upon and further consolidation work mandated; we have a clear strategy engaging the ethnic nationalities in our Bloc and Alliance: we have a known destination; we are using internationally acceptable mechanisms that include a transitioning arrangement and Regional Referendums.

Over the years, LNC has kept on repeating that the word “Biafra” is an obstacle, and it hinders those seeking self-determination. What “Biafra” today means to the non-Igbo ethnic nations of our Bloc is Igbo domination and Igbo annexation of their ancestral lands. LNC is therefore not in any way associated with the term “Biafra”. It is SELF-DETERMINATION that LNC is about.

Please also see the reply to the question:

• Is LNC linked to “Biafra” or “Biafra Restoration”?

If you go to the internet to read Amina Mohammed’s work remit, you will see that she poses no concern for the Lower Niger Bloc or the NINAS Movement. Rather, Nigeria itself should be concerned as it has been designated a CPC (Country of Particular Concern) by the USA, plus is under investigation by the ICC (International Criminal Court) for crimes against humanity and war crimes. Furthermore, Nigeria should be extremely concerned by accusations that it is carrying out a genocide against indigenous peoples.

Nigeria is using psychological tricks and media manipulation to make those who do not read current affairs from truly independent sources believe that all opposition has been crushed. Rather, it is Nigeria that is in retreat because of the successes of the Constitutional Force Majeure declared by NINAS.

They are very well aligned. LNC and NINAS prescriptions are for self-determination for indigenous ethnic nationalities in their ancestral land – which is a universally agreed inalienable human right. Also, we espouse non-violence. LNC has been in communication with the international community for several years now. The various Islamist terrorists who have entered and are now expanding within the Nigerian space mean that the USA has a direct national security stake in what happens in Nigeria. ISIS/ISWAP plus Al-Qaeda, in a joint venture with Boko Haram, have been allowed to form a setting in Nigeria that can collapse all of West Africa into their home. There is Miyetti Allah that proudly takes responsibility for Fulani herdsmen, a group that intermingles with a militia that is labeled the fourth deadliest terror group in the world, and that foreign and local observers say that together with Boko Haram, are carrying out genocide. Furthermore, Pantami whose links to Islamist terrorism remain controversial holds a key security position as Nigeria’s Minister of Communications and Digital Economy. The NINAS Movement has what it takes to contain and halt the menace of terrorism. LNC is the voice of reason in our Bloc, and the NINAS Movement is the voice of reasonable people saying that we do not want terrorists in our government and in our ancestral land, we want self-determination and democracy.

In seeking self-determination, United Nations guidelines need to be followed. Using a name with the word “Biafra” in it would not meet a key UN requirement of having a PRECISE map of the area in question. We, therefore, did some research and came upon an 1885 map of our area where the region we are interested in was called the “Lower Niger”. This refers to the lower part of the River Niger as it flows out into the sea. [The Upper Niger area would be near the source of this great River, in south-eastern Guinea]. Calling our region Lower Niger met the stringent UN conditions, and it has a rich history, so we also decided to name our self-determination organization after this great area. That has been an excellent decision because we have had much success as “Lower Niger Congress” and we are achieving all that we had set out to do.

(For more information on self-determination guidelines, do read the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (UNDRIP), 2007)

The Lower Niger Congress is an aggregation of several self-determination initiatives of the South-East and South-South geopolitical zones of Nigeria. LNC is an independent NGO working for the benefit of the indigenous peoples of our Bloc, seeking self-determination for each ethnic nation in their ancestral land.

NINAS is a MOVEMENT, that is, it is a mass of people all seeking and working for a common goal – in this case, it is a Movement for self-determination for each ethnic nation in our Territory. That is, in the Lower Niger Bloc, the Oodua Bloc, and the Middle Belt Bloc.

Whereas, Lower Niger Congress (LNC) is the self-determination ORGANISATION for our Bloc that guides the NINAS Movement. LNC is the lead organization in our Alliance and is the custodian of the self-determination process and Constitutional Force Majeure strategy.

No. Lower Niger Congress (LNC) is not in any way at all linked to “Biafra” or “Biafra Restoration”. The word “Biafra” is too contentious and does not come with a specific map of its area, so for the self-determination process, it does not satisfy United Nations (UN) requirements. LNC is an authentic self-determination organization that goes for what works! LNC is not out to deceive. Meanwhile, the “Biafra Restoration” lot by the name of Indigenous Peoples Of Biafra (IPOB), was identified in the influential American USCIRF Annual Report 2020 (page 27) as one of the violent groups causing concern in Nigeria.

Moreover, in May 2021 LNC’s Alliance partner among the Yoruba, Ilana Omo Oodua had to issue a Disclaimer against IPOB and its leader for fabricating news in their attempt to deceive the public. The Disclaimer was published in several national newspapers plus placed on IOO’s website under the title, “Ilana Omo Oodua Is Not In Any Working Relationship With Nnamdi Kanu And IPOB”,

Link: https://ilanaomooduduwa.org/ilana-omo-oodua-is-not-in-any-working-relationship-with-nnamdi-kanu-and-ipob/

In fact, some experts in international Law Enforcement have described IPOB as a violent (street) gang. LNC has over the years published Notices and videos thoroughly distancing ourselves from IPOB so as to make it clear that LNC (like IOO) is not in any way working with IPOB or “Biafra Restoration”.

However, knowing the emotional tie that some people have with the word “Biafra”, LNC welcomes any who genuinely seeks self-determination, to key into the NINAS Movement so as to safely obtain that independence they seek through our genuine, non-violent and ORDERLY PROCESS. Nevertheless, given that the word “Biafra” is an obstacle to obtaining self-determination, that word would have to be set aside so that we continue to get success with UN procedures.

So far Lower Niger Congress has sourced its funding from among members, and from our friends. However, we have now reached the stage where the people of the Lower Niger Bloc would also be involved in funding their self-determination processes and road to freedom.

We always have a need for volunteers. Please go to the “Volunteer” tab on our home page.

What we each should be doing anyway, since the self-determination we seek is for each of us, is to use our social media handles to spread awareness about LNC and the NINAS Movement.

Anybody aged 18 years and above whose heritage is from any indigenous ethnic nation within the Lower Niger Bloc (South-South and South-East) is eligible. So too is the spouse of such a person, even if the spouse is from another Bloc or another country. International friends of our Bloc are also able to join LNC if they are over 18 and want to get involved in volunteering or fundraising etc.

Although that document is called a “Constitution” it is not, for it was not obtained in the way that Constitutions are made (do use Google to learn the correct method). The 1999 Constitution of Nigeria was imposed upon the people and it is a known Forgery for its preamble falsely claims that the people of Nigeria wrote it and agreed with it. There is a lot of information available about this fraud and deceit available on LNC’s Facebook page and NINAS Movement websites. Plus they have been exposed in the writings of many experts and social commentators etc.

Lower Niger Congress has gone very far in getting self-determination for the indigenous ethnic nationalities in our Bloc. Our work has spanned some 21 years and we broke it up into 16 Stages. LNC has successfully completed most of the Stages and we are now nearing the end of the self-determination journey. We are at combined Stages 14 & 15 out of 16. The obstacles to us getting self-determination and independence come from those that cling to the word “Biafra” which does not meet United Nations requirements, plus they come from the mischief, violence, and criminality of the “Biafra Restoration” street gang that disrupts and disturbs our Lower Niger Bloc.

Each of the indigenous ethnic nationalities in our Lower Niger Bloc will get their self-determination as soon as our Bloc keys into the NINAS Movement strategy and achieves the outcomes. If you recall, NINAS Declared a Constitutional Force Majeure on 16th December 2020 to Decommission that illegitimate 1999 Constitution that hijacks our self-determination and sovereignty. From that very day, TECHNICALLY the 1999 Constitution, our number one enemy, was Defeated.

However, we now have to make that Defeat be PRACTICALLY applied. The logic behind the NINAS Movement is this: The life of that fraudulent 1999 Constitution is renewed by elections because the winner will swear an Oath of Office to defend it and uphold it over his people for four more years. Therefore the NINAS Movement’s task is to stop PREPARATIONS for GENERAL ELECTIONS in 2023 in the NINAS Territory. We must therefore compel all political parties in our Bloc to CLOSE SHOP even if temporarily so that we correct the injustice of that 1999 Constitution. We would then go into a transitioning arrangement (Transitional Government) when ethnic nationalities will carry out their NINAS Regional Referendums to decide whether to re-commit to the Union or to exit and create new arrangements. LNC has experts who know what to do, and how to do it. We will always keep on carrying the people along and will provide updates.

Please Note: It is those general elections of 2023 that are our target. We must be PRECISE and SPECIFIC. (So please be careful about any copycat but dangerously wrong commands that could be issued by the street gang “Biafra Restoration” in our Bloc)

Yes. We have Lower Niger Congress (LNC) groups in various places. They are found in other parts of Africa, in the UK and Europe, plus in the USA, Canada, Australia, and Asia. As time goes on, we will have more LNC groups.

The Lower Niger Congress (LNC) destination is FULL self-determination for every indigenous ethnic nationality in their ancestral land in our Bloc. Each ethnic nationality will then democratically decide how we want to relate together in the future. A Charter of Relationships was mandated during our Lower Niger Solemn Assembly in Port Harcourt on April 27, 2015, which will set down what ethnic nationalities want. What is certain is that each ethnic nation will maintain its UNIQUE IDENTITY, come in its OFFICIAL NAME, have its RESOURCE CONTROL, and there will be no nation dominating any other, and none will be a “minority”.