The Global Prolife Alliance (GPA) has urged the National Assembly to summon Bill Gates and Dr. Akinwumi Adesina to testify before its investigative committee on Genetically Modified Organisms (GMO) seeds. Dr. Adesina served as the Chief Special Adviser on Agriculture and Minister of Agriculture during former President Goodluck Jonathan’s administration and is now the 8th President of the African Development Bank Group.
In a press release on Monday, the GPA expressed its support for the House of Representatives’ Agriculture Committee’s investigation into GMO seeds. The GPA, in a statement signed by its Chairman, Dr. Philip Njemanze, called for a complete ban on all GMO seeds in Nigeria, claiming they are linked to insecurity in the country. Dr. Njemanze accused biotechnology companies of sponsoring terrorists to kill farmers who use natural seeds.
The GPA cited the United States Council on Foreign Relations, stating that between 2015 and 2018, at least 37,500 farmers were killed. The group noted that 32,000 (85%) were Muslim and 5,500 (15%) were Christian natural seed growers. This, they argue, shows that the issue is not related to Islamic terrorism but rather to the actions of biotechnology companies.
The GPA alleged that Bill Gates and Dr. Adesina introduced electronic wallet cell phones, which used GPS to help mercenaries track and kill natural seed farmers. The group called on the House of Representatives to invite Gates and Adesina to testify, as they were public servants in Nigeria when the crisis began.
As an immediate measure, the GPA recommended that the National Assembly halt the distribution of GMO seeds in Nigeria until a total ban is considered after the investigations. They also stated that labeling GMO products is impractical because most Nigerians buy food from roadside markets where GMO status information is not available.
