The displaced indigenous people of Bakassi have rejected an invitation from the Bakassi Legislative Council, describing the lawmakers invite as a misplacement of priority.
The people, who have being raising concerns over the Federal Government’s resettlement process, insisted that the issue is above the Legislative Council’s jurisdiction and lacks the authority to intervene.
In a statement issued yesterday by lyadim Amboni on behalf of the indigenous people, he argued that the council’s attempt to summon them was an affront to their constitutional rights and an attempt to silence their voices.
Amboni noted that the position of the people bothers on proper resettlement of displaced people of Bakassi after 17 years, which the group, had addressed in a letter to President Bola Tinubu and not the Bakassi Legislative Council.
“Our attention has been drawn to a public announcement from the Bakassi Legislative Committee on Judiciary, Public petition and Conflict resolution inviting us to appear before them on the 14″day of February,2025,we wish to state as follows.
“Constitutionally, the Headquarters of Bakassi Local Government is not in lkot Effiom, rather is in Abana, Dayspring and Kwa Island as shown in the current Cross River State Map.
“Our petition bothering on proper resettlement of Displaced People of Bakassi after 17 years was addressed to Mr.President And commander in Chief of the Armed Forces, Federal Republic of Nigeria, His Excellency,Senator Bola Ahmed Tinubu and not Bakassi Legislative Council.
“That the Chairman of the Committee, Hon.Ene Okon Edet had on the 1 of February, 2025 signed a public petition of Bakassi Peninsula aborigine Communities reacting to our petition to Mr.President on the delisting of Bakassi Local Government as one of the 774 Council Area in the Constitution of Nigeria 1999 as amended.
“As such,he cannot be a judge on his own case. A copy of the petition is hereby attached for reference. All Correspondence Or Contact To The Above Address And Email phone Numbers
“Finally, the Legislative Council of Bakassi Local Government Area has no modicum of power to dabble into issues concerning or relating to the status of Bakassi Local Government Area,the delineation of wards, boundary adjustment,or summoning anybody who exercise the right to hold and express an opinion on the listing of the Bakassi Local Government Area from the constitution.”- The statement reads.
It had been reported that at a stakeholders meeting held in Calabar recently, leaders of the displaced Bakassi communities had lamented the government’s failure to provide them with a permanent place of abode.
During the meeting, Amboni expressed disappointment over the government’s inability to resettle them despite numerous promises.
He had also presented documents showing the government’s promises to resettle the displaced Bakassi indigene, including a letter from the then Vice President, Mohammed Sambo, setting up a technical committee to adopt and study the prayers/request of Bakassi Peoples General Assembly.
He also showed a map of the proposed resettlement site at Dayspring 1, 2, and Qua Island, which was approved by the then Governor of Cross River State, Senator Liyel Imoke.
The Bakassi dispute dates back to 2002 when the International Court of Justice (ICJ) ceded the Bakassi Peninsula to Cameroon. The Nigerian government had subsequently relocated the displaced Bakassi indigenes to temporary shelters in Cross River, with promises to resettle them permanently.
However, 17 years after, the promises remain unfulfilled, leaving the displaced Bakassi indigenes to suffer in temporary shelters without basic amenities.
