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B N W: Biafra Nigeria World News |
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Jubilation in Bakassi as Nigeria shelves handover
NIGERIANS in the disputed oil-rich Bakassi Peninsula yesterday had cause to celebrate albeit temporarily. They had looked forward to the day with trepidation as the territory was supposed to be ceded to Cameroun.
But when neither the Federal Government officials nor their Camerounian counterparts came for the ceremony, the people took to wild jubilation, thanking God and their ancestors for answering their prayers.
They also praised President Olusegun Obasanjo for keeping faith with his promise that the people would not be handed over to Cameroun.
While the celebration heightened in the region, the Minister of Defence, Dr. Rabiu Musa Kwakwanso, was on the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) explaining why Nigeria put the hand-over ceremony on hold.
He said that Nigeria is not in a hurry to quit the region or fix a new date for the hand-over.
In a reaction, the Camerounian government-appointed Mayor of the Nigerian occupied village of Kombo-Abedimo, Mr. Patrick Aboko in Bakassi, described members of the House of Representatives as "a group of disgruntled persons" for passing a resolution condemning the hand-over which was never held.
Aboko also spoke on the BBC monitored in Benin, Edo State.
Kwakwanso assured that the two countries at the highest level were talking and that very soon, the Mixed Nigeria-Cameroun Commission would find an amicable solution to the thorny issue.
"I don't think I should fix a date but I am very much aware that the Commission is working very hard to finish the technical aspect of the work so that we can put that problem behind us," Kwakwanso said.
The minister explained that unlike in the border villages in the northern part of Nigeria, which were easily handed over to Cameroun, the Bakassi was quite complex considering the fact that "it is very difficult to demarcate the sea border."
He reiterated government's determination to protect Nigerians anywhere they are, insisting that the apparent foot-dragging in the hand-over of the disputed territory to Cameroun was not due to the large oil deposit in the area but because of the need to defend the interest of Nigeria.
Aboko, however, assured that were Nigeria to hand-over Bakassi to Cameroun, the residents would not be harassed but accommodated because Yaounde has maintained good ties with Nigeria for years.
He was at a loss why some Nigerians should hold the judgment of the International Court of Justice (ICJ) at The Hague hostage by refusing to vacate the territory for Cameroun, which won the case about two years ago.
He said: "We had a quarrel with our neighbouring country and it was carried to the ICJ where judgment was passed in our favour that Bakassi is Cameroun."
Asked what Cameroun would do since Nigeria has vacilitated, Aboko said that his country loves peace, "so it is up to the United Nations (UN) to determine its stand".
In Bakassi, where Nigeria would have lowered its flag yesterday, the elements were calm and the usually turbulent waves of the peninsula remained unruffled.
The Paramount Ruler of Bakassi Kingdom Etinyin Etim Okon Edet, 45, left his domain for Calabar, the Cross River State capital yesterday. He was convinced that he would not present his staff of authority to President Paul Biya this morning as his new leader.
Looking radiant besides his local council chairman, Mr. Ani Eric Essen by his side, the ruler told reporters at the Akpabuyo Waterfront: "We know that God would be on our side today. The Almighty God and the lesser gods have listened to our prayers, and accepted our propitiations, nothing has been handed over. The people of Bakassi are going about their business very calmly and quietly. We are very grateful to President Olusegun Obasanjo. He is a gentleman who stands by his words.
"This international conspiracy to annex us to Cameroun without our consent is not acceptable. The UN must conduct a plebiscite here to know where we stand."
Minutes after that assertion, the rains apparently reinforcing the prevalent peace in the peninsula, powered in torrents with the roaring lightening scribbling fire-works in the cloud.
Edet had every cause to be happy.
Nigeria also strengthened its grip on the region. The Guardian learnt that the Motorised Brigade and the 136th Battalion of the Nigerian Army in the region were reinforced.
The ruler's call on his subjects to come home and resist any move to hand them over to Cameroun received a prompt response as they gathered at Abana, the council headquarters where he reassured them that they were still in Nigeria and are Nigerians.
Earlier on,Monday, The Guardian observed large movement of Nigerian soldiers into Ikang in Akpabuyo and part of the peninsula ostensibly to re-enforcing the men on ground.
At Ikang and Abana, the situation was calm with people moving about their normal business while the soldiers stood guard.
The state Police Command told reporters yesterday that Bakassi people were safe.
"You should not panic and should report strange movement in the area to the police immediately because there was nothing to worry about".
Edet further said that "we came in from Abuja on Tuesday and as usual we had to go back to inform them that there would be no such thing as hand-over as widely speculated. Nothing has been handed over.
"At Abuja, we only met the sub-committee of the House of Representatives. We told them our story that we were not willing to move and that we shall not move even in the nearest future. We in Bakassi Local Council are still part of the Nigerian Federation.
"We are governed by the constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. Still receive our allocations from the Federal Government in Abuja. Until that is stopped and the constitution amended, we will know what action to take," he stated.
Continuing on their mission to Abuja, the paramount ruler explained that they did not go to the court in Abuja for an appeal or to override the ICJ ruling because "we know too well that the decision of the International Court of Justice cannot be appealed.
"We went to court for the constitution to be interpreted hether it is proper for the Nigerian government to hand us over without following due process.
"Due process is that we have been protected by the constitution and due process means that the constitution has to be amended and you know the process of amendment is not going to be a small thing.
"Even if due process is followed, we still have to conduct a plebiscite in Bakassi where we have to choose where we want to be," he said.
He said that the people had gone beyond the stage of thinking as others do that it was a mistake on the part of the government to have joined issues with Cameroun at the World Court.
Edet said Bakassi people have a judgment in their hands, which ended the legal aspect of the crisis. "They are trying to find a political solution to it.
"We went to reassure our people that all is well. When we were in Abuja, I told the Speaker of the House of Representatives that my blood pressure was very high because as I was talking to him, I did not know my faith.
"So, since we were not handed over, our blood pressure has been going down. We, Bakassi people all over the world, are not sleeping with our two eyes closed because anything can happen."
The monarch further said that yesterday's event was not a rally. The people only responded to calls to go back to their homeland to find out whether it was ceded.
"The people came and the Nigerian flag is still flying very high there. The President of the country assured us twice when we visited that the ceding of Bakassi will not happen.
"By today (Wednesday), we saw that it did not happen. So, we take him by his words. We are looking forward to a plebiscite. That is the last resort. We are human beings. Our dignity and everything about us is threatened. We have to be asked where do we want to be. If at the end of the day we want to joint Cameroun, we will decide and go on our own and not by force," he said.
Edet further said the people were not apprehensive of any action Cameroun might take because the two nations are two brothers and are neighbours.
Reacting to claims that the oil in the region was behind the crisis, Edet said that he does not believe or accept the argument. "We have been living in Bakassi for hundreds of years. We were not there because of oil. We will still be there not because of oil. Bakassi is our land. We are talking about our land. We do not know what other people are talking. Economic activities go on there unhampered. The refugees who arrived there last week or so are Nigerians who arrived from Cameroun.
"Massive oil exploration goes on there. We were there before Nigeria and Cameroun were created and we will still be there. This situation has not affected my kingdom anyhow."
On arrival at the Ikang jetty from Bakassi, Esin confirmed that he together with other leaders of the area had met with the National Assembly on the Bakassi question.
The Assembly, he said prevailed on the President through a motion not to handover Bakassi to Cameroun because it would violate the nation's constitution.
The motion, he said, further requested that the UN should decide the fate of Bakassi through a plebiscite.
But the head of the Cobham Town Combined Council, Etubom Bassey Ekpo, has warned Nigeria not to renege on the ICJ verdict having pledged to abide by it.
Bassey who spoke to reporters in Calabar yesterday claimed that Nigeria had never treated Bakassi as part of its territory.
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