THE people of Bakassi Wednesday showed their anger over the loss of their territory as youths of the peninsula disrupted the United Nations (UN) demarcation of the maritime boundary between Nigeria and Cameroon in respect of the oil-rich area.

The Joint Technical Team comprising UN, Nigerian and Camerounian officials had arrived in Ikang, the temporary council secretariat, and paid a courtesy visit on the Chairman of Bakassi Local Council, Dr. Ekpo Bassey, to brief him on their mission.

Demonstrators who carried placards with different inscriptions such as, “UN leave Bakassi,” “Bakassians are Nigerians and not Cameroonians,” “Bakassi has the inalienable right to self-determination,“ prevented the team from moving to the peninsula for the exercise.

Leader of the youths, Augustine Omini Iwara, in an interview, condemned the UN and the Federal Government of Nigeria for allegedly treating the people of Bakassi with contempt.

He said it was surprising that the demarcation was being undertaken despite the case filed by the people of Bakassi asserting their right to self-determination in accordance with international law.

He called on the UN to urgently to conduct a referendum to enable the people of Bakassi decide where they want to belong, vowing that, “no Jupiter can force us to leave our territory to become Cameroonians.”

Bassey tried to calm down the youths and said that in a democracy people have the right to agitate, but advised them not to do anything that could lead to break down of peace and order.

The Director, International Boundary Commission, who was the leader of the Nigerian delegation, Sani Mohammed Isamni, a surveyor, called off the demarcation and said that the six-man team would communicate back to the council after discussion with the Federal Government.

The people of Bakassi have been threatening to declare self-determination, insisting that they cannot be in Cameroun.