The controversy between Nigeria and
Cameroon over the issues of border demarcations has again reared its ugly head
as a member representing Mbo State Constituency in the Akwa Ibom State House of
Assembly, Mr. Samuel Ufuo, has raised alarm that the Republic of Cameroon is
illegally occupying 16 Mbo Mangrove Islands belonging to Nigeria.
Ufuo, who presented the issue before
the House as a matter of urgent public importance at the weekend, stated that
the 16 Mbo Local Government Area villages were currently under the
administrative control of the Republic of Cameroon, adding that the islands
were blessed with different types of mineral resources apart from hosting to
about 350 oil wells.
According to him, “it is pathetic that
Akwa Ibom people, who are still living in their villages, established before
there was Nigeria or Cameroon, were being terrorised, dehumanised, maltreated
and deprived of their rights and privileges by Cameroon government security
agencies.” He added that the people were still
buying and selling in Mbo and other Akwa Ibom markets, paying their taxes, boat
licences and other levies to the Akwa Ibom State Government.
The lawmaker urged the federal
government not allow the annexation of the islands by Cameroon stressing that
Nigeria would not only lose mineral resources, but also thousands of its
coastal water miles. “Sadly to note that as a result of the illegal
occupation of the islands by the Republic of Cameroon, oil and gas revenues
that should accrue to the state and the Nigerian government, employment
opportunities to our teeming youths are lost to the Republic of Cameroon,” he
said.
“Cognizant of the March 11, 1913
Anglo-German treaties that lay this island firmly within Nigerian Territory as
the island lays west of the Rio Del Ray estuary which serves as the official
border line between Nigeria and the Republic of Cameroon as re-affirmed by the
International Court of Justice judgment on October 10, 2002.
“Also cognizant of the fact that ICJ
had ordered both Nigeria and Cameroon to withdraw sovereignty over areas they
were not entitled to under the 1913 Anglo-German treaties.
“This result in Nigeria ceding over to
the Republic of Cameroon 32 villages from Adamawa to the Lake Chad area while
Cameroon is holding tight to Akwa Ibom State 16 villages of Effiat clan in Mbo
LGA, of the Mangrove Island,” he said.
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PLEASE BE POLITE