Plans to transfer 10,000 hectares of Nigerian land to Cameroon have been suspended, Hon. Victor Abang, who represents Ikom/Boki Federal Constituency of Cross River State in the House of Representatives, has said.
Abang made the disclosure during a town hall meeting and constituency briefing held in Keyang 2, Boki Local Government Area.
According to the lawmaker, the proposed handover stemmed from the 2002 judgment of the International Court of Justice (ICJ), which, among other provisions, directed that the boundary between Nigeria and Cameroon be delineated in line with the Anglo-German Treaty of 1913.
Explaining the process, he said: “To this effect, a joint committee was established to oversee the implementation.
“Unfortunately, the committee attempted to demarcate the boundary without proper recourse to the existing colonial boundary features.
“Notably, they ignored the boundary line marked by Pillar 113A, a recognized colonial demarcation separating Nigeria and Cameroon.
“If such actions were allowed to continue, over 10,000 hectares of Nigerian land including parts of Biajua and Danare communities would have been ceded to Cameroon.
“In view of this, I presented a motion on July 5th 2023 which was promptly deliberated by the house and presently the exercise has been halted pending a comprehensive review of the process”, Hon. Abang said.
During the engagement, the legislator also presented a compilation of his two-year legislative achievements, titled ‘The Banjuere’, to his constituents.
The document highlighted several constituency projects, including a mini stadium initiative, the installation of telecommunication masts linking 35 communities, and the provision of medical equipment worth N300 million to the Primary Health Centre in Abo Ebam, among other interventions.
Abang further disclosed that he sponsored the National Park Service (Amendment Bill), which focuses on environmental conservation and the creation of the Okwangwo National Park Unit as an independent entity aimed at boosting the economic and developmental value of the Boki forest.
(VANGUARD)
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