Controversies have continued to trail the ceding of the Bakassi Peninsula to the Republic of Cameroun, as a group led by the former member of the National Assembly, Senator Florence Ita-Giwa, on Friday in Lagos, said that ten years after the International Court of Justice ceded the place to Cameroon, the indigenes are yet to be resettled, contrary to the promise made by the the former President, Chief Olusegun Obasanjo.
This is just as it dissociated itself from the purported declaration of a Sovereign State of Bakassi by Bakassi Self Determination Front, adding that the step will exacerbate the already delicate security issues confronting the nation.
The group added, “we completely dissociate ourselves from the purported declaration of a Sovereign State of Bakassi.
The issue confronting us is not served by a declaration of independence but by accelerating the resettlement of our people in the location of our choice.”
Briefing newsmen, the leader of the Bakassi Peoples’ General Assembly group, Senator Ita-Giwa, noted, with dismay, the harrowing experience the indigenes were being subjected to, lamenting, “we have lost our heritage. Our traditional leaders have become refugees.
The graves of our fore-fathers have been left behind. Thousands of people from Bakassi are roaming the streets of the country. We can no longer vote during elections, as there is no place that we can call ours.
“What we are demanding from government is resettlement. We have made our minds known to the leadership of the country. We are from a riverine community; our main occupation is fishing. It is wrong to resettle us on the mainland.
“We demand the urgent and expeditious development of the unceded parts of Bakassi known as Day Spring Island 1 and 2, as well as Kwa Island, for the comprehensive resettlement of Bakassi indigenes, who have since 2006 been roaming around hopelessly.
Condemning the systemic marginalisation of Bakassi people in terms of appointment, Senator Ita-Giwa demanded the appointment of qualified Bakassi indigenes in Federal and State government establishments.
