Delegates have urged President Goodluck Jonathan to, as a matter of urgency, intervene in the present demarcation of some villages in Cross River State by the Republic of Cameroun without the Federal Government’s consent.
Speaking yesterday after discussions on a point of order, Deputy Chairman of the Conference, Prof.
Bolaji Akinyemi said: “What we need to do is for the conference to call on the Federal Government that two things have been brought to our attention. One is that some demarcation exercise is going on without the presence of Nigerian officials.
Two, that Nigeria has not taken any steps to claim villages which the World Court awarded to Nigeria from Cameroun. The conference feels rather disturbed and is calling on the Federal Government to address those two issues.”
Resolution by delegates
The resolution by the delegates was sequel to a point of order raised by a delegate representing the South-South geo- political zone, Hon. Orok Otu Duke, who informed delegates that as of yesterday, demarcation exercise was carried out in Boki, Cross River State by the Cameroun with alleged support of the United Nations, 12 villages affected and beacons have been put in these villages.
He said: “A team of people from Cameroun arrived with the United Nations and are presently demarcating the boundary between Nigeria and Cameroun.
They are in a place specifically known as Danare in Boki and they are putting in place so many beacons that do not rhyme with what we consider as the boundary.
Senate Leader, who is representing the constituency, Senator Ndoma Egba had moved a motion in the Senate before their recess that the mix commission arrived without representation from Nigeria.
“The Senate President went ahead to grant press interview that no inch of Nigeria territory will be ceded to Cameroon. As I speak the exercise is ongoing and we have lost 12 villages where they planted beacons as of yesterday.
Senator Victor Ndoma Egba opted for us to wait till when the Senate reconvenes but the villagers have mobilised and have prevented them from continuing with the exercise.
“We have sent representation to the Attorney General of the Federation that Cameroun, Nigeria mixed commission is supposed to have representatives from Nigeria. They tried it last month and almost took Obudu Cattle Ranch.
They have come down now to Boki and God help us by the time they get to the Southern part of the state, the Bakassi area.
Another problem is that the Nigerian soldiers that arrived came and arrested Nigerians and left the Camerounians to continue with the demarcation.”
