LAGOS — Fresh facts have emerged, showing that the disputed Bakassi peninsula which the International Court of Justice, ICJ, ceded to Cameroon, actually belongs to Nigeria.

Vanguard gathered that the jurists at ICJ might have been misled by the legal teams of Cameroon and Nigeria, who did not show vital information that clearly placed Bakassi as a territory within the geographical, political and administrative jurisdiction and control of Nigeria, contrary to the October 10, 2002, verdict which awarded the sovereignty of the peninsula to Cameroon.

International relations experts, renowned historians, researchers and politicians told Vanguard in Lagos, last week, that contrary to the claims by the Cameroon and Nigerian legal teams that the first legal treaty on the Land and Maritime borders between Nigerian and Cameroon was the 1913 Anglo-German treaty, it was discovered that the limits of the Land and maritime boundaries between both countries went as far back as 1811 when the British made the treaty that went from the Lake Chad region down to the Atlantic ocean through the Rio Del Rey Estuary.

The Great Fraud

1. There are evidence to show that in 1994 when a dispute erupted between Nigeria and Cameroon, Nigeria asked the British government to attest to the true status of Bakassi Peninsula, the British government replied to assert that the Peninsula belongs to Nigeria.

2. This was when Alhaji Babagana Kingibe was Nigeria’s Minister of External Affairs but curiously that document was not tendered at the ICJ trial.

3. There are fresh evidence to show that in the March 18, 1961 plebiscite in Southern Cameroon, to determine areas that either wanted to stay in Cameroon or join Nigeria, Bakassi Penisular was not among the areas that participated in the exercise because it was given that it was not part of Cameroun.

According to Southern Cameroon gazette, Volume 7 no. 14, the areas that were asked to determine where they wanted to belong included Mamfe, Bamenda, Kumba, and Victoria. Also, the people of Bakassi have voted in Nigerian elections and the Nigerian Customs has been in control of the territorial waters since 1811.

4. The 1913 Anglo-German treaty which Cameroon rested its claim was not signed by both countries before the outbreak of the First World War in 1914.

5. Germany renounced all its terrirorial claims at the end of the war in 1919 and all the former territrories controlled by Germany came under the mandate of the League of Nations.

6. There were clear cases of ethnic cleansing in Bakassi peninsula in the past 10 years in violation of the Green Tree Agreement.

According to Prof. Walter Ofonagoro, a historian and former Nigerian Information Minister, who did his Ph.d thesis on Southern Oil protectorate, “fresh facts have emerged to show that the Cameroonian legal team deceived the ICJ into believing that before the Anglo-German treaty of 1913 upon which it rested its case, there were no other treaties that delineated the land and maritime boundary between Nigeria and Cameroon, which is a fraudulent claim”. Prof. Ofonagoro said that he has in his possession, 1822 documents which vested ownership of the Bakassi Peninsula to the Old Calabar Chiefs, by extension to Nigeria, and debunked claims that the 1913 Anglo-German treaty was the first recognised treaty on the land and maritime boundary between Nigeria and Cameroon. Said Prof. Ofonagoro: “This is not true because as far back as 1811, the British had already established a strong sphere of influence over the territories that eventually became Nigeria in 1914. The Anglo- German treaty upon which Cameroon built its case was contestible because after the First World war ended in 1919, all the territories controlled by Germany were taken away from them and given to the League of Nations.

To finish reading follow link: http://www.vanguardngr.com/2012/09/bakassi-belongs-to-nigeria-fresh-facts-reveal/

It is one thing to have evidence and another is how you present your facts... Nigeria has no reason losing that case at the ICJ.. Our legal team were either too complacent or misrepresented facts.. My interest in Bakassi goes beyond the huge oil deposit but Nigerians who have lived there since the days of their ancestors.. How do you explain that they are aliens in the land they have known and called theirs?

Elueme: It is one thing to have evidence and another is how you present your facts... Nigeria has no reason losing that case at the ICJ.. Our legal team were either too complacent or misrepresented facts.. My interest in Bakassi goes beyond the huge oil deposit but Nigerians who have lived there since the days of their ancestors.. How do you explain that they are aliens in the land they have known and called theirs?

its my sentiments too. It was in justice on the part of ICJ and irresponsibility on the part of the Nigerian team that was sent. but the question is not whose fault it was that nigeria lost the case but how does Nigeria rectify the evil that was done.

Can the Federal govenment start proceedings to re-integrate Bakassi into Nigeria, or is it when hateful Cameroonians kill all the Nigerians that Federal Gov will wake-up to our calls?

drnoel:

its my sentiments too. It was in justice on the part of ICJ and irresponsibility on the part of the Nigerian team that was sent. but the question is not whose fault it was that nigeria lost the case but how does Nigeria rectify the evil that was done.

any way out?

Any country that is not satisfied with the ruling of the ICJ can appeal to the UN Security Council I'm not sure, but I think they have to appeal within 10 years.

Why are they shouting so much? Is it because their new country will not give them off shore free money? Abeg accept citizenship free Nigeria. The less we hear about this "it is our oil" crap, the better for Nigeria. They should adapt and be happy to not be Nigerian now. Now they can get better leadership, not free money.

2mch: Why are they shouting so much? Is it because their new country will not give them off shore free money? Abeg accept citizenship free Nigeria. The less we hear about this "it is our oil" crap, the better for Nigeria. They should adapt and be happy to not be Nigerian now. Now they can get better leadership, not free money.

So insensitive of you. Would you be saying the same thing if you were an efik?

What is the next step? Why wait for a decade before bringing out all these new facts? Can our political leaders rectify the mistakes of the past leaders? l hope the advisers of the president will not mislead him to give up easily like OBJ did.
Nigeria should just go for it no matter what.

Elueme: It is one thing to have evidence and another is how you present your facts... Nigeria has no reason losing that case at the ICJ.. Our legal team were either too complacent or misrepresented facts.. My interest in Bakassi goes beyond the huge oil deposit but Nigerians who have lived there since the days of their ancestors.. How do you explain that they are aliens in the land they have known and called theirs?

We need to appeal the judgement. Bakassi people are suffering through no fault of theirs and all evidence point to the fact that the judgement was hasty. The chief judge was even French speaking,and we all know how the francophone countries join ranks. Fairness should be restored.

As if we don't really know the Bakassi story...

pazienza:

So insensitive of you. Would you be saying the same thing if you were an efik?

If they dashed my people away to another country i will be giving thanksgiving and testimony every sunday. . They are only screaming because no sane country will help them hear Off shore oil is "our oil" lmao

The way the Obasanjo administration gave away Bakassi still galls me till tomorrow, but I don't think all hope is lost yet, what we mus do is appeal a judgement that was delivered in sentiment,not bringing all factors into due consideration. Let us see what will happen at the long run because I believe the whole thing will not just be swept under the carpet.

The 10-year window for the appeal naptu2 talked about expires in less than 3 weeks. Instead of the goons in Aso Rock to take action NOW, they're busy munching cassava bread.

Pity.

Won't be surprised if Bakassi was actually sold..

Bakassi is gone, focus on what we've got... Nigeria should NEVER have gone/honoured ICJ in the first place... We're a big country and we had no business going to the ICJ when we knew the French have special interests in Cameroun/Francophone Africa...

We need to modernise our military and dare the French(notorious cowards) - seceding a part of your Country to a smaller country is cowardice... We're a cowardly nation and we need to let it go...

To be honest, no matter how many 'fresh facts' are revealed, Bakassi belongs to Cameroun - and we can't win at the ICJ... Appeal and militarise the place, or let it go..

PS: France can't hurt a fly, that's the easiest Western country to defeat in a war...

strangest: Won't be surprised if Bakassi was actually sold..

lmao

And you may be damn right

abeg, what do we need bakassi for.... even d one we've, what have we done with it?

Too late to cry when the head is cut off.

Simply tell cameroun to prepare for way. I want to see france help them

I wonder the kind of people we have in government.
With all our intellectuals we still can't play international politics.

HNosegbe: The 10-year window for the appeal naptu2 talked about expires in less than 3 weeks. Instead of the goons in Aso Rock to take action NOW, they're busy munching cassava bread.

Pity.

Lmao. We never do the right thing at the right time

bakassi is gone deal with it.
no need crying over spill milk

shymexx: Bakassi is gone, focus on what we've got... Nigeria should NEVER have gone/honoured ICJ in the first place... We're a big country and we had no business going to the ICJ when we knew the French have special interests in Cameroun/Francophone Africa...

We need to modernise our military and dare the French(notorious cowards) - seceding a part of your Country to a smaller country is cowardice... We're a cowardly nation and we need to let it go...

To be honest, no matter how many 'fresh facts' are revealed, Bakassi belongs to Cameroun - and we can't win at the ICJ... Appeal and militarise the place, or let it go..

PS: France can't hurt a fly, that's the easiest Western country to defeat in a war...

that is if you survive their nuke bombs first
mumu

Farts on top this post
abeq make we hear word jor,where the Bleep was the fact before?abi una been blind by corruption,mtcheeeeeeew!

Nigeria has gone a long way without bakassi. 10years no be beans. Since the international court judgement handed over bakassi to cameroon. I guess we just forget about it. Further interest might add to the crisis we have already.

I am very very happy fo the pple of bakassi, becus i cant jst imagine wat they must hav past thru frm the time they were declared cameroon to date. They unfotunately found themselves among people they did not have anytin in common xcept on the basis of complexion, leavin their anscetra home/country that their greatgrand parents have foth for. I dont blame camerron, but i blame nigeria fo sendin a team that are not probably acquinted wit international history/law. Bigup to afonagoro, may u live long pass ur ancestos jare.

Some people are busy asking what we need Bakassi for. Yes, we don't need Bakassi because the residents are from minority group.
If they were your kins and kindred, your friends and acquaintances, will say so?

Some people are psychopathic!!

But wat shuld we be happy for? The return of our brothers or the return of our oil?

obasanjo should never have let go of bakkassi, but then again, it might just be the best thin ever. cause with bakassi and its oil, Nigerians might just be suffering more sha. but why present a case to icj when the persn preceding over the case is french? who was obj advisors? honestly, they must be daft than jonathan advisors. this country never gets anything rights. From light down to oil. only thing they do well is steal, from Azikwe down to jonathan.

free_soul:
that is if you survive their nuke bombs first
mumu

And you think the French have the guts to nuke Nigeria? - do you have a brain?

Nl posters are clowns! So, the French will nuke Nigeria for fighting Cameroun?? You're reta.rded!!!

Carry the evidence (fact) go hague na..