Bakassi Peninsula: Nigeria, Cameroon Approach ICJ For Judgment Clarification

BY EDMOND ODOK – Twenty years after the International Court of Justice (ICJ) delivered judgment on the dispute between Nigeria and Cameroon over the Bakassi Peninsula ownership, both countries are returning to The Hague for clarification of some grey areas in the verdict.

In a judgment on October 10, 2002, the ICJ upheld Cameroon’s claim to the area but up till now the understanding of some issues in the ruling seems blurred on both sides of the divide.

Rising from the 24th session of the Cameroon-Nigeria Mixed Commission (CNMC) held between 25th and 26th August 2022 in Abuja, the two countries agreed to approach the ICJ to offer better insight and understanding of the judgment concerning the boundary on localities of Rhoumski, Pillar 8 and Koja.

The parties’ decision to table discussions on the matter before the ICJ for clarification formed part of the resolutions at the session as captured in a communique issued by Nigeria.

According to the communique, both countries expressed commitment to work closely towards identifying and encouraging the implementation of trans-border infrastructural projects to enhance the economic cooperation and integration of both countries and the West African sub-region.

Also, the Mixed Commission recommended that the two parties finalise the agreement on the joint exploitation of the hydrocarbon along the maritime border.

Similalrly, both countries praised the sub-commission on demarcation and the Joint Technical Team for reaching an agreement on the course of the boundary in Mabas village and the project steering committee and the technical monitoring team for the successful construction of additional 327 pillars in Alantika mountains, which has been endorsed by Mixed Commission.

Attorney-General of the Federation (AGF) and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami, who led the Nigerian team to the session, expressed the country’s determination to ensure the limited areas of border disagreement are amicably resolved by between both countries.

A statement by the Minister’s spokesman, Dr Umar Jibrilu Gwandu on Saturday quoted him as saying that; “Nigeria is committed to the quick and successful execution of the mandates of the Mixed Commission”.

Malami, who noted that the areas of disagreement had been reduced to just three, urged experts working on the issue to “embrace pragmatism in order to reach consensus in all the three areas of disagreement”.

He also expressed the hope that “amicable solutions would be found as soon as possible to enable the work to be completed.”