NIGERIA/CAMEROUN BORDER
Forwarded by Dr. Nowa Omoigui
nowa_o@yahoo.com
SMC/002/07
24 May 84.
Lt-Col Dan P Archibong
The Military Governor
Cross River State
Calabar.
NIGERIA/CAMEROUN BORDER
The attention of the Federal Military
Government has been drawn to the petition of 10th November, 1983,
addressed to the then Governor of Cross River State, Chief Donald
Etiebet by the Chiefs and elders of Abana Atuen-Effiat and copied to
the Speaker of the Cross River State House of Assembly etc. The
community had written to protest vehemently against alleged acts of
brutality inflicted on the citizens of Effiat/Mbo Local Government
Area by Cameroun gendarmeries. They alleged that on 10th November,
1983, at about 5 a.m., the gendarmeries molested them and emphasized
that they should pay tax to the Government of Cameroun. The community
had asserted in the petition that they are Nigerians living on
Nigerian soil and fishing in Nigerian territorial waters, and that
villages like Abana Ntuen, Atabong, Edem Abasi, Ine Odong, Ine Atayo,
Ine Akpak with a total population of over 500,000 people were being
administered by the Nigerian Government even before the advent of
missionaries in Calabar. Consequently, they urged government to take
urgent and decisive action to protect the citizens of Cross River
State at Abana Ntuen from being tortured and killed on their soil.
2. The Cross River State House
of Assembly which subsequently debated the report insinuated Federal
Government’s neglect of the community and, accordingly, called on the
Federal Government to take urgent steps to halt the disgraceful and
inhuman actions of the gendarmeries and save the lives of the affected
citizens. The Nigerian press including the “Nigerian Chronicle” of
23rd November, 1983 and the “Nigerian Herald” of 1st December, 1983
which reported the proceedings of the House of Assembly had
highlighted alleged invasion of Nigerian villages by Cameroun
gendarmeries. The attention of the Secretary to the Cross River State
Government was earlier drawn to the present intransigence of the
affected community towards the Cameroun authorities vide the letter
No. 21/Vol.XX/668 of 22nd June, 1983. Nonetheless, the apparent
continuance of misrepresentations demand that the Nigeria/Cameroun
border problem should be put once again in its correct perspective.
3. The boundary between Nigeria
and Cameron is predicated on the Anglo-German treaty of 1913, copy
attached as Annex 1. Before the Nigerian Independence in 1960, the
Bakassi Peninsula which lies between the Akwayefe River (Akpayefe) and
the Rio-del-Rey estuary was administered by Nigeria as part of
Southern Cameroun . As a result, there was free movement of people.
However, following the subsequent reunification of Southern Cameroun
with Cameroun Republic in 1961, the border took a new complexion
apparently unknown to the Nigerian fisherman who thought that since
they were linguistically linked with one another in the creeks, they
were in Nigerian territory. The erroneous impression gained ground as
both Nigeria and Cameroun Governement made no visible move to assert
their authority in the creek areas. The situation, however, changed
dramatically when in 1973 Cameroun decided to substitute the names of
their fishing settlements bearing indigenous Nigerian names with
Camerounian names. Unfortunately our maps had continued to carry the
old Nigerian names while Nigerians constituted more than 90% of the
population of the Bakassi Peninsula which has been focal point in
dispute. Some of those Nigerians had been inhabiting the area even
before the 1913 treaty. The prevailing situation in the area
had created the illusion that the territory is ours whenever there is
a conflict and the Nigerian press did not help matters by giving
erroneous impression that the area concerned is part of Nigeria. The
security and law enforcement agents equally had their share of the
blame as they carried out their operations under the impression that
the area East of the Akpayefe River belong to Nigeria.
This is far from the truth.
4. Several attempts had been
made by Nigeria and Cameroun to settle the border disputes. A
technical committee comprising officials of both countries was set up
in June 1965 to settle a land dispute between the people of Danari in
Ekong Division of Nigeria and Boudam in Cameroun . The survey work
which followed was aborted at the start of the Nigerian Civil War.
Another committee was set up in 1970 which after holding several
meetings arrived at the famous “Coker/ Ngoh” line. The new boundary
line drawn on sheet 3433 attached as Annex 11 to this letter was
rejected by the Nigerian Government as it obstructed the navigable
part of the Calabar channel.
5. The problem of the maritime
border henceforth featured prominently in subsequent discussions held
between the then- Head of the Federal Military Government, Gen. Yakubu
Gowon and President Ahmadu Ahidjo in Garoua from 4th to 6th August,
1972, in Kano from 30th August to 1st September, 1974, and in Maroua
from 30th May to 1st June, 1975. The last meeting resulted in the
issuing of the “Maroua Declaration” attached as Annex 111 and the
demarcation by the Head of State shown on chart 3433. The two Heads
of State thought that they had found a lasting solution to the border
problems. However, following the overthrow of the Gowon
administration 2 months latter, the succeeding military administration
found the declaration completely unacceptable. The declaration was
accordingly repudiated by General Olusegun Obasanjo during his meeting
with President Ahidjo in Garoua from 7th to 9th Ausust, 1977.
Cameroun on its part has since been reluctant to re-open the issue.
6. Meanwhile, a conducive
atmosphere is yet to be found to review the situation due mainly to
the following intervening incidents:
( i ) the arrest of the district
head of Idabato and 8 Camerounian Armed Forces personnel on 21st June,
1981, following their incursion into Nigerian territory. Although the
Cameroun functionaries were released soon afterwards the arms taken
from them were returned after a special plea made by President Ahmadu
Ahidjo during his visit to Nigeria in January, 1982; and
(ii) the ambush and resultant
killing of 5 Nigerian soldiers by Camerounians on 16th May, 1981
following which the Nigerian Government insisted upon and obtained
compensation for the bereaved Nigerian families.
7. Every avenue is still being
explored to get the two countries to agree on a final demarcation of
the maritime border. Meanwhile, as reports of alleged harassment and
extortion of Nigerian fisherman by Cameroun gendarmes, frequent
incursions by the security agents of both countries across the
ill-defined border, and continuing resistance by the Nigerian living
in the Bakassi peninsula to pay tax to Cameroun continue to be
received, I should emphasize that the Bakassi peninsula and the
Rio-Del-Rey estuary are definitely in Cameroun territory. Although
the border is yet to be demarcated it would be indefensible to lay
claim to any areas eastwards from the thalweg of the Akwayafe River.
Copies of the map of Ikang, sheet 332 attached hereto as Annex iv have
accordingly been made available for the guidance of Nigerian security
agencies, to ensure that they confine their activities to Nigerian
territory. In taking the foregoing steps, it is expected that the
tension generated in the area as a result of the unlawful incursions
by both sides would be reduced especially with the additional effort
of the Nigerian Ambassador in Cameroun who has been implored to press
his host Government to accept its responsibilities under the 1913
treaty. Cameroun is obliged to allow Nigerians residing in the border
areas to pursue their livelihood without undue harassment. To assist
in keeping peace in the areas it is necessary to persuade those
Nigerians in territories known to belong to Cameroun to give due
regard to and cooperate with their host country in the interest of all
concerned. They should be left in no doubt as to the possible serious
consequences to themselves, in the first place, and to relations
between Nigeria and Cameroun, of their continued recalcitrance. It is
understood that the inhabitants of most of the islands on the Cameroun
side, with the exception of the island of Njabane (Atabong) have in
fact, started to cooperate with the Cameroun authorities. To
encourage this positive development, you should facilitate the usual
exchange of visits with the Governor of the Littoral Province in
Cameroun , and such other steps that will impress on the minds of the
local inhabitants that they cannot change boundaries. On the whole,
public enlightenment on the issue is necessary at your end, while
diplomatic efforts are being made to resolve the issue for the mutual
benefit of the two neighboring African Nations.
V.L. ODUWAIYE
Rear Admiral
for Chief of Staff
Supreme Headquarters
|