NEMA pledges to resettle Nigerians displaced from Bakassi

THE National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) has finalised plans to ameliorate the plight of Nigerians displaced by the ceding of Bakassi Peninsula by the International Court of Justice to Cameroun Republic, Director-General of NEMA, Muhammed Sani Sidi, has said.

For decades, Nigeria and Cameroun had disputed ownership of the resource-rich peninsula, taking their case to the UN International Court of Justice (ICJ) in 1994.

After reviewing records going back one century, the court ruled that the peninsula belonged to Cameroun.

A statement signed by NEMA’s spokesman, Yushau Shuaib said Sidi made the disclosure on the plight of displaced persons in his office when he received a delegation from the National Boundary Commission (NBC) led by its newly appointed director general, Gen. Muhammad Ahmad.

Speaking earlier, Ahmad, while referring to the judgment on land and maritime boundary disputes between Nigeria and Cameroun as delivered by the ICJ in 2002, disclosed that in the course of implementing the judgment, a Greentree Agreement was entered into by both countries in 2006, purposely for follow up and implementation of the withdrawal process in the Bakassi Peninsula.

Under article three of the five-year GTA agreement, Cameroun is bound not to force Nigerian nationals living in the Bakassi Peninsula to leave the zone or to change their nationality. The country is also to respect the culture, language and beliefs of Nigerians as well as protect them from any harassment or harm.

In another development, NEMA has deplored the untold sufferings brought to bear on Nigerians on account of uncontrolled anger by warring communities.

Sidi, who spoke during the presentation of relief materials to the war-ravaged Ntan Obu Community of Odukpani Local Council Area of Cross River State, stressed the need for peaceful co-existence among ethnic nationalities in an atmosphere of peace and tranquility.

Ntan Obu, an agrarian community located along River Ukpe, was early last year besieged by a neighbouring community, Ikpanyah in Ibiono Local Government Area of Akwa Ibom State, following a disagreement over land ownership.

Sidi, who was represented by the South-South Zonal Coordinator of NEMA, Mr. Umesi Emenike, lamented the sad event, which led to the total destruction of the Ntan Obu village, describing it as unwarranted and completely out of fashion.

He commended Governor Liyel Imoke of Cross River State for carrying out massive sensitisation of the assailed community against reprisal, which would have further created a negative humanitarian situation.

Receiving the materials on behalf of the state government, the Director-General, Cross River State Emergency Management Agency (SEMA), Mr. Vincent Aquah (MON), lauded the sensitivity of the Federal Government towards the plight of disaster victims across the country, especially in Cross River State.

Responding on behalf of the people of Ntan Obu community, a community leader, Dr. Awak Anam, thanked the state and Federal governments for their show of love for the displaced people.

Meanwhile, the state government has flagged off the rehabilitation process of Nsadop community in Boki Local Council Area of the state with the provision of building materials and foodstuffs to the people.

Represented by his Special Adviser on Special Duties, Prof. Zana Akpagu, during the presentation ceremony at the refugee camp at Nsadop, Imoke said the event marked the beginning of the rehabilitation process.