The Nigerian Senate has called for immediate action against the alleged annexation of mangrove islands villages of Effiat in Mbo Local Government Area of Akwa Ibom.
According to reports, the island hosts oil wells and abundant gas reserves. The Mbo Mangrove Island is a fishing settlement, west of the Rio Del Ray estuary and serves as the official borderline between Nigeria and Cameroon.
In adopting a motion for the setting up of ad hoc committee to investigate the alleged annexation, the Senate urged President Bola Tinubu to engage diplomatic relations on the issue of illegal annexation of Nigeria’s maritime territory and mangrove islands by Cameroon.
The resolution is sequel to adoption of a motion, sponsored by Senator Aniekan Bassey (PDP-Akwa Ibom) and co-sponsored by six other senators at plenary on Tuesday.
Senator Jimoh Ibrahim (APC-Ondo) was named Chairman of the ad-hoc committee and have two weeks to report its findings.
Members of the committee included senators Adeniyi Adegbonmire (APC-Ondo) Seriake Dickson (PDP-Baylesa), Shehu Kaka (APC-Borno), Ipalibo Harry Banigo (PDP-Rivers).
Also, in the committee are, senators Agom Jarigbe (PDP-Rivers), Ekong Sampson (PDP-Akwa Ibom), Aniekan Bassey (PDP-Akwa Ibom).
Bassey, in his motion brought under Orders 41 and 51 of Senate standing rules, said the areas were not part of the territory ceded to the government of Cameroon.
He said, given the 1913 Anglo-Japan treaties and the International Court of Justice ruling of October 2002, the encroachment into the territories was illegal.
He said the encroachment had led to a huge economic loss of over 2,560 oil wells and gas revenues, which were to accrue to Nigeria.
He said the annexation was very pathetic, saying that it remained a monumental and national embarrassment that foreign laws were imposed by the Cameroonian government on Nigerians living in 16 ancestral homes and villages.
Bassey said it was a threat that the Anglo-Island waters situated at the geographical location of Mbo Local Government Area of Akwa Ibom was currently under administrative control of the Republic of Cameroon.
This, he said, is illegal and contrary to the 1913 Anglo-Japan treaties and the International Court of Justice decision of October 2002 and Section 12 subsections sections 1,2 3 of the Nigerian Constitution as amended.
He said it was worrisome that the continued expansion of foreign policy of the Republic of Cameroon, after independence of Nigeria through illegal annexation of the 16 villages of the Nigerian mangrove Islands, waters and oil wells constituted a breach of international law.
“It is an affront on Nigeria’s territorial integrity and unlawful exploitation of Nigeria’s economic resources,” Bassey said.
He said the International Court of Justice had ordered both Nigeria and Cameroon to withdraw sovereignty over areas they were not entitled to under 1913 Anglo-German treaties.
Senator Victor Umeh (LP-Anambra) advised that frantic efforts should be made to enforce the International Court of Justice ruling on the mangrove islands, saying that Nigeria cannot be beneficiary of the judgment and not enforce it.
“Let us act fast and recover our territory with over 2,000 oil wells,” he said. NAN
