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