A member representing Mbo State Constituency in the Akwa Ibom State House of Assembly, Mr. Samuel Ufuo, has warned Nigerians on the illegal annexation and occupation of 16 Mbo Mangrove Islands by the Republic of Cameroon.
Presenting the issue before the House as a matter of urgent public importance on Friday, Ufuo stated that the 16 Mbo Local Government Area villages were currently under the administrative control of the Republic of Cameroon.
He revealed that the islands were blessed with different types of mineral resources beside being hosts to about 350 oil wells.
According to him, it is pathetic that Akwa Ibom people, who are still living in their villages, established before there was Nigeria or Cameroon, were being terrorised, dehumanised, maltreated and deprived of their rights and privileges by Cameroon government security agencies.
He added that the people were still buying and selling in Mbo and other Akwa Ibom markets, paying their taxes, boat licences and other levies to the Akwa Ibom State Government.
The lawmaker noted that should the annexation by Cameroon be allowed, the country would not only lose mineral resources, but also thousands of its coastal water miles.
Ufuo added, “Sadly to note that as a result of the illegal occupation of the islands by the Republic of Cameroon, oil and gas revenues that should accrue to the state and the Nigerian government, employment opportunities to our teeming youths are lost to the Republic of Cameroon.
“Cognizant of the March 11, 1913 Anglo-German treaties that lay this island firmly within Nigerian Territory as the island lays west of the Rio Del Ray estuary which serves as the official border line between Nigeria and the Republic of Cameroon as re-affirmed by the International Court of Justice judgement on October 10, 2002.
“Also cognizant of the fact that ICJ had ordered both Nigeria and Cameroon to withdraw sovereignty over areas they were not entitled to under the 1913 Anglo-German treaties.
“This result in Nigeria ceding over to the Republic of Cameroon 32 villages from Adamawa to the Lake Chad area while Cameroon is holding tight to Akwa Ibom State 16 villages of Effiat clan in Mbo LGA, of the Mangrove Island.”
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