Reps to investigate omission of Bakassi indigenes from resettlement

Ita Giwa

The House of Representatives has mandated its committee on Special Duties to investigate the omission of certain inhabitants of Bakassi Peninsula by the presidential committee on resettlement of Bakassi Peninsula.

This followed a motion moved by Hon Robinson Uwak (PDP, Akwa Ibom)‎ during plenary on Thursday.

Also in the same sitting, the House disclosed that it would begin voting on the recommendations of the ad hoc committee on Review of the 1999 Constitution next Thursday.

Leading the debate, Uwak noted that while the report of presidential committee has ‎been captured in the 2014 Appropriation Bill, some people who fall under Ijaw, Ibo and other descents were not captured among the beneficiaries.

"It is worrisome that the implementation of the proposed budgetary provisions will cause harm and exclude Nigerians who ought to be included in the resettlement by the federal government," he said.

He added that "The report ‎by the presidential committee submitted by the vice president does not include the planned resettlement of the original inhabitants of Bakassi Peninsula, who are people of Ibibio, Ijaw, Obolo, Ilaje, Eket, Oron and Okobo origin, including Igbo traders.

"‎There is a distinction between the people of Bakassi Local Government of Cross River State‎ and abogirines (earliest inhabitants) of Bakassi Peninsula."

Uwak also expressed worry that the group left out are being ill-treated, maimed, abused and unfairly taxed by Camerronian Gendarmes contrary to a bilateral agreement signed between Nigeria and Cameron and also contrary to Articles 2,4,5,6 and 21 of the Banjul Treaty (African Charter on Human and Peoples Rights) agreed to by all members of the African Union.