PANDEF urges Tinubu to revisit Bakassi Peninsula issue

• warns communities may resort to self help over insecurity

Leaders of the Pan Niger Delta Forum (PANDEF) have called on President Bola Tinubu to revisit the ceding of the Bakassi Peninsula to Cameroon, citing its devastating impact on displaced communities.

The peninsula was ceded following the International Court of Justice (ICJ) ruling in 2002, which Nigeria failed to appeal within the stipulated timeframe.

In PANDEF’s statement to the President read by its Co-Chairman Board of Trustees, Victor Attah, the forum emphasised that the aftermath of the ICJ verdict has left thousands of Nigerians displaced, denied access to their ancestral lands, and facing cultural genocide. “We do not wish to dwell on past mistakes, but rather, we urge the need to revisit this matter with a view to mitigating its impact on the affected communities,” they stated.

The group’s appeal comes as tensions persist in the region, with ongoing armed disputes and economic challenges affecting both Nigeria and Cameroon. Despite past efforts to resolve the issue, including the Green Tree Agreement, the situation remains unresolved, with Nigeria’s Senate having previously declared the handover illegal.

PANDEF also appealed to Tinubu to intervene decisively in the escalating political crisis in Rivers State, warning that the situation poses a significant threat to national stability. It noted that despite Governor Siminalayi Fubara’s commitment to abide by a recent Supreme Court ruling, tensions remain high due to conflicting court decisions. The forum informed the president that it has established a High-Level Peace and Reconciliation Committee chaired by Attah but emphasised that presidential intervention is crucial to achieve peace outside the courts, involving key figures like Minister of Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike and Governor Fubara. Rivers State’s economic importance as a major oil and gas hub underscores the urgency of resolving the crisis.

The forum also appealed to President Tinubu to sign the South-South Development Commission Bill into law. The bill, passed by the National Assembly, remains unsigned despite similar commissions for other regions receiving presidential assent.

PANDEF stressed that the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) and the proposed South-South Development Commission serve distinct purposes, with the NDDC focusing on oil-producing areas and the new commission aimed at holistic regional development.

PANDEF warned that delaying the bill’s assent could create feelings of exclusion and negatively impact peace in the Niger Delta.

They also suggest renaming the NDDC to Oil Mineral Producing Areas Development Commission to avoid confusion. The group supports President Tinubu’s regional development initiatives but seeks equity for the South-South region.

PANDEF has also expressed deep concern over the escalating insecurity in the South-South region, citing a surge in kidnappings, violent attacks, and sea piracy. Despite acknowledging President Tinubu’s national security efforts, PANDEF highlighted that as security operations intensify elsewhere, criminal elements are shifting their activities to the South-South, leading to unprecedented violence.

The group warned that if unchecked, this could prompt local communities to resort to self-help measures, potentially spiraling out of control.

PANDEF called for enhanced security measures, including improved intelligence and stronger enforcement, and urged the immediate establishment of a Coast Guard to protect coastal communities.