Nigeria and Cameroon have approached the International Court of Justice (ICJ) at the Hugue for clarification over its judgment delivered 20 years ago on the two countries’ dispute on the ownership of Bakassi Peninsula.
In October 10, 2002, the ICJ had upheld Cameroon’s claim to the area under dispute, with some issues in the judgement still under contention.
The two countries, during the 24th session of the Cameroon-Nigeria Mixed Commission (CNMC) held in Abuja between 25th and 26th August 2022, agreed to approach the ICJ to clarify portion of the judgment relating to the boundary on localities of Rhoumski, Pillar 8 and Koja.
According to the communiqué issued after the meeting, 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.
The Minister’s spokesperson, Dr Umar Jibrilu Gwandu in a statement made available to newsmen on Saturday, quoted him as saying that; “Nigeria is committed to the quick and successful execution of the mandates of the Mixed Commission”.
Malami noted that the areas of disagreement had been reduced to just three and 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.”
