By Haruna Salami
The Senate has constituted an ad-hoc committee to investigate alleged annexation of maritime territory and mangrove island villages of Effiat clan in Mbo Local Government Area of Akwa Ibom state.
Senate resolution was sequel to adoption of a motion sponsored by SenaAniekan Bassey (Akwa Ibom North East) and co-sponsored by six other senators at plenary on Tuesday.
Senator Jimoh Ibrahim (Ondo South) was named Chairman of the ad-hoc committee.
Other members of the committee included Senators Adeniyi Adegbonmire (APC-Ondo) Seriake Dickson (Baylesa West), Shehu Kaka (Borno Central),Ipalibo Harry Banigo (PDP-Rivers).
Others are Agom Jarigbe (PDP-Rivers), Ekong Sampson.(PDP- Akwa Ibom),Aniekan Bassey senators.(PDP-Akwa Ibom).
NAN also reports that Mbo mangrove island is a fishing settlement, which lies west of the Rio Del Ray estuary and serves as the official borderline between Nigeria and Cameroon.
According to reports, the island hosts oil wells and abundant gas reserves.
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 Oct 2002, the encroachment into the territories were illegal.
According to him, the encroachment had led to 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 was monumental and a national embarrassment that foreign laws are imposed by Cameroonian government on Nigerians living in 16 ancestral homes and villages.
Bassey added that it was a threat that the Anglo-Island waters situated at the geographical location of Mbo Local Government Area of Akwa Ibom state was currently under administrative control of the Republic of Cameroon.
This, he said was illegal and contrary to the 1913 Anglo-Japan treaties and the International Court of Justice decision of October 2002 and section 12 sub sections 1,2 3 of the Nigerian Constitution as amended.
He said the islands and waters are economically important to the region, as it also hosts copious fishing routes.
“It is worrisome that that the continued expansionist 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 constitutes a breach of international law.
“It is an affront on Nigeria’s territorial integrity and unlawful exploitation of Nigeria’s economic resources,” he said.
He said the International Court of Justice had ordered both Nigeria and Cameroun to withdraw sovereignty over areas they were not entitled to under 1913 Anglo German treaties.
This, he said resulted in Nigeria hurriedly ceding over 32 villages from Adamawa to the Lake Chad areas to the Republic of Cameroon.
Never miss a moment! Get the stories shaping Nigeria, delivered straight to your phone. Follow Peoplesdaily Newspaper on WhatsApp for breaking news, exclusive reports, and the headlines everyone will be talking about, before anyone else.
