In recent times, there have been concerns over the approval of Genetically Modified Organisms (GMO) seeds by theNational Biotechnology Development Agency (NABDA) . Critics say the approval of GMO seeds by NBMA is contributing to insecurity in Nigeria, alleging that biotechnology companies sponsor terrorists to eliminate natural seed growers – farmers.

The critics are led by Dr. Philip C. Njemanze, Chairman, Global Prolife Alliance (GPA). Njemanze had on January 20, 2024, written a letter to the Senate President, Godswill Akpabio, claiming that biotech mercenaries/companies tracked the farmers using electronic wallets – cell phones – and were sponsoring terrorism.

In the letter titled, ‘National Security Threat: Biotech Terrorism Using GMO Seeds,’ Njemanze claimed that insurgency coincided with the introduction of GMO seeds.

“According to the United States Council on Foreign Relations (2015-2018), Boko Haram claimed 37,500 lives in Nigeria, with a significant number being natural seed growers, both Christians (15 per cent or 5,500 victims) and Muslims (85 per cent or 32,000 victims). Obviously, the so-called insurgency is not related to any Islamic terrorism. This coincides with the introduction of GMO seeds. The attacks on cowpea production areas aim to replace natural seeds with genetically modified cowpeas (GM-cowpeas) approved by the NABDA,” Njemanze said.

He also claimed that there was a plan for mass-sterilisation of Nigerians using GMO corn Epicyte gene. Njemanze further claimed that certain GMO foods like corn contain an Epicyte gene linked to sterilisation. He said children and adults consuming products like cornflakes or cornmeal made from this GMO corn may face sterilisation. He said the Epicyte gene, inserted into GMO seeds, poses a threat to public feeding programmes, especially children in Home-Grown School Feeding initiatives. The GMO critic said millions of Nigerians could become infertile, leading to a surge in fertility clinics often sponsored by foreign biotechnology owners.

Njemanze also said the terminator gene was a threat to food security. He said the terminator gene, a Genetic Use Restriction Technology (GURT), makes plants produce sterile seeds in the second generation, known as “suicide seeds.” He said biotechnology companies intend to permanently control Nigeria’s food security by ensuring farmers must repurchase seeds each planting season. This, he argued, would result in the perpetual capture of the country’s financial, health, natural and human resources by foreign biotechnology investors.

To address these security concerns, Njemanze said the government should consider implementing a complete ban on all GMO seeds and crops in Nigeria to safeguard the nation’s food security, protect citizens from potential health risks and prevent the exploitation of natural resources by biotechnology companies.

Njemanze copied President Bola Ahmed Tinubu; Vice President Kashim Shettima; Speaker of the House of Representatives, Tajudeen Abbas; Inspector General of Police (IGP), Ministers, Bishop Conferences in Africa, Europe, Asia and America; Head of States of all United Nations (UN) member countries, UN Ambassadors, UN Agencies on Human Rights, African Union, Organisation of American States, European Union Parliament, the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), World Medical Association, Organisation of Islamic Countries (OIC), Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), International Labour Organisation (ILO), World Trade Organisation (WTO), World Health Organisation (WHO), United Nations Children Fund (UNICEF), United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), United States Agency for International Development (USAID), British Department for International Development (DFID), Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA), international human rights organisations, international press, local press, among others.

However, the Director General/Chief Executive Officer (CEO), NABDA, Prof. Abdullahi Mustapha, has dismissed his claims. Mustapha, in response to the letter, said contrary to the claim that transgenic crops pose a national security threat, it is essential to note that rigorous scientific evaluations and regulatory processes govern the commercial release of genetically modified organisms. He said the safety of these crops is thoroughly assessed, ensuring they meet the highest standards before reaching the market.

He urged the Senate to consider the overwhelming scientific consensus on the safety and benefits of transgenic crops and to continue supporting policies that promote agricultural innovation, adding that by doing so, “we can secure a more sustainable, resilient and prosperous future for Nigeria.”

Mustapha, who described Njemanze’s claims as “scientifically unfounded” urged the Senate not to heed his advice.

The plant biotechnology promoter and expert explained that genetically modified crops are not a national security threat or form of biotech terrorism, saying they had been rigorously tested and regulated before commercial release to ensure safety for human health and the environment.

He said transgenic Cowpea and TELA maize were developed by Nigerian scientists to benefit the nation’s smallholder farmers. According to him, the transgenic cowpea is resistant to destructive pod borers, which typically destroy 80 per cent of cowpea crops. Mustapha said this can help farmers boost their yields significantly.

He further explained that TELA maize is drought tolerant and resistant to fall army worm to enable farmers optimise yield and profits, noting that withdrawing these crops would deprive farmers of tools to improve their livelihoods and food security.

The NABDA boss said the letter’s incendiary language linking GMOs with terrorism is highly concerning and spreads misinformation and fear without scientific basis, explaining that biotechnology improves crops through very precise changes at the molecular level to introduce beneficial traits.

Mustapha said there is international scientific consensus on GM crop safety, upheld by regulatory agencies globally, including the World Health Organisation, Food and Agricultural Organisation (FAO) and many others. He said Nigeria’s genetically modified products passed biosafety assessments before approval for commercial planting.

The GMO seeds advocate urged the lawmakers not to limit access to innovations that can alleviate poverty and malnourishment. He said Nigerian and international scientists have developed responsible, regulated solutions that yield better lives for smallholder farmers through modern crop breeding methods. Mustapha urged the lawmakers to consider the humanitarian implications and support farmers by maintaining policies guided by science.

He noted that biotechnology, including genetic modification, has played a pivotal role in enhancing crop productivity and ensuring food security globally, adding that in the context of Nigeria, the adoption of transgenic Cowpea and TELA Maize presents significant advantages that directly contribute to the well-being of citizens and the overall prosperity of Nigeria.

“Transgenic crops have been engineered to express traits that confer resistance to pests, diseases and environmental stress. The incorporation of these traits in Cowpea and TELA Maize has the potential to significantly increase yield, ensuring a more abundant and stable food supply for our growing population,” he noted.

Mustapha said GMO seeds enhance pest resistance, stressing that by adopting genetically modified crops, Nigeria can reduce its reliance on chemical pesticides, thereby promoting a more sustainable and environmentally friendly approach to agriculture.

“This not only protects the health of our farmers but also minimises the ecological impact of agricultural practices.

“Genetic modification can be employed to enhance the nutritional profile of crops, addressing malnutrition concerns in the population. TELA Maize, for example, has been developed to contain higher levels of essential nutrients, contributing to better public health outcomes. Transgenic crops can lead to increased farm incomes due to higher yields and reduced production costs. This, in turn, contributes to poverty alleviation and economic growth, benefiting both smallholder farmers and the broader agricultural sector,” he added.

In another letter to the Senate President, a Professor of Food Science and Biotechnology, Sylvia Uzochukwu, urged the lawmakers not to heed the “scientifically unfounded advice that genetically modified crops are a national security threat or form of biotech terrorism.”

Uzochukwu, who is the President of the Biotechnology Society of Nigeria (BSN), said GM crops are rigorously tested and regulated before commercial release to ensure safety for human health and the environment. She said GM crops have been consumed in Europe, America, South Africa, China and other parts of Asia for more than 25 years, without adverse effects.

She recalled that Kenya was misled into imposing a ban on GMOs in 2012 by uninformed extremist anti GMO activists, stating that 10 years later, in 2022,  the country was forced to lift the ban after four seasons of drought and crop failure that were the worst in 40 years. Uzochukwu said the scientists advised the government that only resorting to the likes of TELA maize, a drought resistant GMO, could save their country from total devastation by the drought. She said the 2012 decision against all scientific advice proved nearly fatal for that country.

She warned Nigeria not allow itself to be pushed into similar errors by vocal anti-GM activists that mean no good for the country when there are scientific experts within and outside the country, from whom to verify the facts.

Meanwhile, experts in the agricultural food chain had decried the gradual infiltration of Genetically Modified Organisms into the Nigerian market, with fears that the trend may phase out indigenous crops which are environmentally friendly.

They also warned that cultivating GMO crops will eventually affect local plants, crops and animal species if allowed to coexist with them and negatively impact the country’s biodiversity.

But, researchers in a study published in Science Direct and Journal of Cleaner Production, titled ‘Genetically Modified Crops in Developing Countries: Saviour or Traitor?’ concluded: “For many people in developing countries, GM crops are products that endanger human health and the environment because of the income and value of stocks. On the one hand, there are those who strongly consider that GM crops pose a threat to human health and can be destructive to biodiversity. On the other hand, there are scientists who believe that GM crops depict a technology with great potential to enhance the production of food in an environmentally safe manner.”