Barely 24 hours to the August 14 deadline to end the transition
period between Nigeria and Cameroun over the Bakassi territory take
over, the political leader of Bakassi people, Senator Florence Ita-Giwa,
has advised her people and Nigerians at home and in the Diaspora to
accept and embrace the issue in good faith, urging them to await
President Goodluck Jonathan's administration's plans to develop and
ensure proper resettlement for the Bakassi people in Ikang, where they
are already relocated.
Prior to the August 14 deadline, Ita-Giwa had embarked on campaigns and advocacy calling for the immediate resettlement of the people rather than a last minute appeal with no fresh evidence to back same up, adding that the collosal amount that could have been devoted to such obviously futile exercise should be channelled into the immediate resettlement of the people.
She appealed to Nigerians to avoid inflammatory statements that would cause disaffection between Nigeria and the Cameroun and further endanger the lives of those who have temporarily taken residence there until they are properly resettled.
The former special adviser to the president on National Assembly Matters also averred that there was good foreign diplomatic relationship between the two countries, which should not be undermined or put into jeopardy.
Ita-Giwa, who thanked President Jonathan for setting up the Bakassi people's presidential committee in response to the yearnings of the people and call for the immediate implementation of the committee's report, also thanked the governor of Cross River State, Senator Liyel Imoke and other stakeholders, who had played prominent roles since the beginning of the struggle.
On the refugees, she asserted that no one wishes to be a refugee in her fatherland and pleaded with the federal government to as a matter of urgency move the refugees out of the deplorable refugee camp to a permanent abode in Dayspring, which was the wish of the people and enable them settle down properly in their country of origin, Nigeria.
"August 14 is here. While we appreciate peoples concern on this unfortunate issue, we are looking forward to reintegration with the host community knowing that there is no barren land anywhere in this country, hence we have decided to settle in with our Ikang brothers while the process of reintegration is ongoing and as it is now, looking very promising.
"All Bakassi people residing in the ceded areas are obliged to abide by the laws of the land and I appeal to my people to be law abiding and live peacefully with the Camerounians," she said.
The ruling from the International Court of Justice (ICJ), had stated that from August 14, Cameroun would govern Bakassi like any other part of its territory. Bakassi was legally ceded by Nigeria to Cameroun in 2002 and Nigerians there had until August 2013 to decide to become Camerounians or leave the territory.
The area had been heavily guarded by Camerounian soldiers since their country took control of the territory from Nigeria on August 14, 2008
Prior to the August 14 deadline, Ita-Giwa had embarked on campaigns and advocacy calling for the immediate resettlement of the people rather than a last minute appeal with no fresh evidence to back same up, adding that the collosal amount that could have been devoted to such obviously futile exercise should be channelled into the immediate resettlement of the people.
She appealed to Nigerians to avoid inflammatory statements that would cause disaffection between Nigeria and the Cameroun and further endanger the lives of those who have temporarily taken residence there until they are properly resettled.
The former special adviser to the president on National Assembly Matters also averred that there was good foreign diplomatic relationship between the two countries, which should not be undermined or put into jeopardy.
Ita-Giwa, who thanked President Jonathan for setting up the Bakassi people's presidential committee in response to the yearnings of the people and call for the immediate implementation of the committee's report, also thanked the governor of Cross River State, Senator Liyel Imoke and other stakeholders, who had played prominent roles since the beginning of the struggle.
On the refugees, she asserted that no one wishes to be a refugee in her fatherland and pleaded with the federal government to as a matter of urgency move the refugees out of the deplorable refugee camp to a permanent abode in Dayspring, which was the wish of the people and enable them settle down properly in their country of origin, Nigeria.
"August 14 is here. While we appreciate peoples concern on this unfortunate issue, we are looking forward to reintegration with the host community knowing that there is no barren land anywhere in this country, hence we have decided to settle in with our Ikang brothers while the process of reintegration is ongoing and as it is now, looking very promising.
"All Bakassi people residing in the ceded areas are obliged to abide by the laws of the land and I appeal to my people to be law abiding and live peacefully with the Camerounians," she said.
The ruling from the International Court of Justice (ICJ), had stated that from August 14, Cameroun would govern Bakassi like any other part of its territory. Bakassi was legally ceded by Nigeria to Cameroun in 2002 and Nigerians there had until August 2013 to decide to become Camerounians or leave the territory.
The area had been heavily guarded by Camerounian soldiers since their country took control of the territory from Nigeria on August 14, 2008
- Culled from: This Day
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