Cross River State Government vows to Reclaim 76 Oil Wells from Akwa Ibom
"I am happy to let us know that even though we have not received any money from the wells, Akwa Ibom is also not getting anything for now from it," Otu explained
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Cross River State Government vows to Reclaim 76 Oil Wells from Akwa Ibom
The Cross River State Government has initiated efforts to reclaim 76 oil wells ceded to Akwa Ibom in 2012 following a Supreme Court ruling.
Governor Bassey Otu announced these efforts during a media conference in Calabar on Tuesday, emphasizing his administration’s commitment to recovering what he asserts is rightfully Cross River’s.
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In 2012, the Supreme Court ruled in favor of Akwa Ibom in a dispute over the ownership of the oil wells, dismissing Cross River’s appeal.
Justice Olufunlola Adekeye, who delivered the lead judgment, stated that Cross River lost its status as a littoral state after the cession of the Bakassi Peninsula to Cameroon in 2008, rendering it ineligible to claim offshore oil wells. She noted, “A non-littoral state cannot claim oil wells offshore as she has no maritime territory.”
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Despite the Supreme Court’s decision, Governor Otu contends that the oil wells were wrongly ceded to Akwa Ibom and is determined to reverse the decision.
He expressed optimism about the ongoing process, stating that while Cross River has not received revenue from the wells, Akwa Ibom has also been unable to access proceeds from them.
“I am happy to let us know that even though we have not received any money from the wells, Akwa Ibom is also not getting anything for now from it,” Otu explained. “While a decision is yet to be made on where the wells rightfully belong, the proceeds are being kept in an escrow account by the authority.”
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The dispute over the ownership of these oil wells traces back to the loss of the Bakassi Peninsula to Cameroon in 2008.
In October 2002, the International Court of Justice ruled that sovereignty over Bakassi rested with Cameroon, instructing Nigeria to transfer possession of the peninsula. This decision led to the redefinition of maritime boundaries and the subsequent dispute over the oil wells.
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