Ceding Bakassi Was Unfortunate, Unnecessary Decision, Fmr A'Ibom Gov, Attah

Former Akwa Ibom State Governor, Obong Victor Attah has revisited the long and painful chapter of the Bakassi Peninsula dispute and the subsequent ruling by the International Court of Justice.

Speaking during an interview on Arise News, Attah characterized the International Court of Justice ruling and Nigeria's subsequent agreement to cede the territory as an "unfortunate" and unnecessary decision, arguing that the country did not have to agree to it. His comments bring renewed attention to a sensitive issue that continues to stir national emotions.

The former governor stated, "Somehow, the International Court of Justice took a decision which is a very unfortunate decision and it is a decision that did not have to happen and it's a decision that we don't have to agree to. We didn't want to agree to it but for some odd reasons we signed and that took Bakassi away from Cross River."

Attah's remarks refer to the October 2002 ICJ ruling, which awarded the oil-rich peninsula to Cameroon based on colonial-era Anglo-German agreements. Despite the ruling, Nigeria initially resisted, and it was not until the June 2006 Greentree Agreement that the formal transfer of authority was set in motion.

This agreement, signed by then-President Olusegun Obasanjo and his Cameroonian counterpart Paul Biya, was what finally sealed the fate of the territory. The formal handover of the peninsula was completed in August 2008.

As this writer could decipher from his words, Attah's statement suggests that Nigeria could have continued to contest the decision on diplomatic or legal grounds, rather than signing the agreement.