Mbo Local Government Area in Akwa Ibom State has drawn the attention of the federal and state governments to the continual expansionist policy of the Cameroonian government with a view to annexing some communities in Akwa Ibom.
It is alleged that already Cameroon has annexed 16 mangrove island villages of Effiat clan in the local government area.
Mbo Mangrove Island is a fishing settlement which lies west of the Rio Del Ray estuary and serves as official borderline between Nigeria and Cameroon.
A member representing Mbo in the State House of Assembly, Mr. Samuel Ufuo, made the revelation as a matter of urgent public importance on the floor of the House.
According to him, the continued expansionist foreign policy of Cameroon threatens Nigeria’s sovereignty on its maritime border.
He said the West Africa’s nation’s security agencies had been terrorizing Nigerians in the area carrying out economic activities on the border communities.
He said, “Cameroon has annexed 16 villages in Effiat Clan, in Mbo which were not part of the peninsula under disputes between Nigeria and Cameroon. Mbo Mangrove Island is currently under the administrative control of Cameroon. This Island is blessed with mineral resources and copies of fishing routes”.
He said “the island has approximately 350 oil wells. The strategic economic importance of this region brought on the envy by our Cameroon brothers. It is pathetic to note that Akwa Ibom people who are living in their villages established when there was no Nigeria or Cameroon as countries are being terrorized, dehumanized, deprived of their rights and privileges and maltreated by Cameroonian security agencies.”
Quoting the March 11, 1913, Anglo treaties as reaffirmed by the International Court of Appeal (ICA) on October 10, 2002, Ufuo said Mbo Mangrove Island is an integral part of Nigeria.
He claimed there had been attempts by Cameroon to distort its official boundaries demarcation with Nigeria after the October 10, 2002 judgment of the world court.
The lawmaker said, “Cameroon in an earlier attempt to take over another part of Nigeria which was not part of the peninsula ceded to it in 2002 removed pillar 113A and started encroaching on our land until Nigerian communities occupying the territory raised the alarm.”
He therefore called on the federal government to re-exert its control over the Island to save Nigerians occupying the communities from maltreatment from Cameroonians security officials. Ufuo urged the Akwa Ibom State government to investigate the annexation of the island.
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