BY Soni Daniel, Regional Editor, North
Still aggrieved over the refusal of the Federal Government to call for the review of the judgment ceding them to Cameroun, Bakassi natives on Thursday approached a Federal High Court Abuja to stop the final
demarcation of the boundary between Nigeria and its neighbour.

The suit, which was filed by Save Bakassi Group, on behalf of the natives, seeks among other things, to compel the Federal Government to take immediate steps to place before the International Court of Justice and the United Nations General Assembly, a case for the enforcement of their right to self determination as stipulated in the UN and African Charters on Human Rights.

A delegation from Bakassi in Cross River at the Ministry of Justice Abuja recently.

The Bakassi people are represented by Chief Emmanuel Etene, Thomas Archibong, Aniekpe Offiong, Chief Archibong Esin and Mrs. Victoria Cobham on behalf of themselves and all the communities and people in the defunct Bakassi Local Government Area of Cross River State ceded to Cameroon on October 10, 2002 by the ICJ under the Green Tree Agreement.

Among the reliefs being sought by the people are, a declaration that by virtue of Articles 1 and 20 (1) (2) & (3) of the African Charter on Human and Peoples Rights (Ratification & Enforcement) Act Cap., Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 2004, and Article 50 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights adopted and proclaimed by the General Assembly of the United Nations on the 8th December, 1948, the Federal Republic of Nigeria  has a legal and bounden duty to immediately and promptly place before the International Court of Justice at The Hague, Netherlands, and the General Assembly of the United Nations and ensure diligent and conscientious prosecution of the claim/entitlement of the People of the Bakassi Peninsula affected by the enforcement of the Judgment of the International Court of Justice in the Land and Maritime Boundary Case between the Republic of Cameroon and the Federal Republic of Nigeria (with Equatorial Guinea Intervening) delivered on the 10th October, 2002, and the subsequent Green Tree Agreement between Nigeria and Cameroon dated the 12th June, 2006, which led to transfer of the sovereignty of Bakassi Peninsula to the Republic of Cameroon without the Self Determination of the Bakassi People as a distinct People/Nation (in view of the expression of desire of the People of Bakassi not to be part of the Republic of Cameroon).

The natives are also seeking an order compelling the Government of the Federal Republic of Nigeria to  immediately and promptly place before the International Court of Justice at The Hague, Netherlands, and the General Assembly of the United Nations and ensure diligent and conscientious prosecution of the claim/entitlement of the People of the Bakassi Peninsula affected by the enforcement of the Judgment of the International Court of Justice in the Land and Maritime Boundary Case between the Republic of Cameroon and the Federal Republic of Nigeria (with Equatorial Guinea Intervening) delivered on the 10th October, 2002, and the subsequent Green Tree Agreement between Nigeria and Cameroon dated the 12th June, 2006, which led to the transfer of the sovereignty of Bakassi Peninsula to the Republic of Cameroon without the right to Self Determination of the People of Bakassi as a distinctive People/Nation.

They are also seeking a declaration that the Identification and Demarcation exercise or Pillar Site Assessment of the Boundary of the Thalweg from Pillar V in the Lake Chad in Borno State to the Upstream Sector of River Akwayafe in Cross River State of the Maritime Boundary by the Joint Technical Team of the Sub-Commission on Demarcation Correspondence to some Sectors in Cross River State is premature, ought to be stayed, and should be stayed in view of the fact that the right to Self Determination of the People of Bakassi cognisable by Article 20 (1) (2) and (3) of the African Charter on Human and Peoples Rights (Enforcement and Ratification) Act, supra, is yet to be determined by the appropriate Organs of the United Nations such as the General Assembly and the International Court of Justice.

Beyond these, the want a perpetual order  restraining the Government of the Federal Republic of Nigeria whether by herself, her servants, agents  including the 2nd-8th Defendants, their agents, servants, privies, officers, institutions or representatives in whatever guise or form from treating or continuing to treat or regard the People of the Bakassi Peninsula as an integral part or portion of the territory that constitute the Republic of Cameroon in  purported enforcement of the Judgment of the International Court of Justice in the Land and Maritime Case between the Republic of Cameroon and the Federal Republic of Nigeria (with Equatorial Guinea Intervening) delivered on the 10th October, 2002, and the subsequent Green Tree Agreement between Nigeria and Cameroon dated the 12th June, 2006, which led to transfer of the sovereignty of Bakassi Peninsula to the Republic of Cameroon.

The are also asking the court to grant an order injunction restraining the 5th Defendant/Respondent (i.e. National Boundary Commission) either by itself or in conjunction with Joint Technical Team of the
Sub-Commission of the Cameroon/Nigeria Mixed Commission or any of its Organs including their servants, agents, privies, officers, institutions or representatives in whatever guise or form from delineating and or demarcating the Maritime Boundary of the 1st Defendant of the Ancestral Homelands of the Plaintiffs/Applicants in the guise of same being a prelude toward the implementation of the
final demarcation of the Maritime Boundaries of the 1st Defendant in purported satisfaction the ICJ judgment of 10th October, 2002 and the Green Tree Accord of 12th June, 2006, without first recognizing the right of the Plaintiffs to Self Determination.

They also prayed the court to compel the respondents to pay them general damages of N200 billion against the Government.

Named as respondents in the matter are the Federal Government of Nigeria, the Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Minister of Foreign Affairs and the Surveyor-General of the
Federation.

Others are the National Boundary Commission, Cross River State Government, its Attorney General and Surveyor General. No date has however been fixed for the hearing of the case, which was filed by Okoi Obono-Obla on behalf of the plaintiffs.