The Nigerian Senate has launched an investigation into claims that Cameroon has illegally annexed parts of Nigeria’s mangrove islands and maritime territories.
An ad hoc committee has been set up to examine the issue and is expected to submit its findings within two months.
Lawmakers have urged President Bola Tinubu to take immediate action to protect Nigeria’s territorial waters and secure more than 2,560 oil wells located within the disputed islands in Akwa Ibom State. Senate leaders also plan to engage with the President to seek a diplomatic resolution to the crisis.
The motion to establish the committee was presented by Senator Aniekan Bassey (Akwa Ibom North-East). He raised concerns about the economic and territorial risks posed by the alleged annexation, pointing out that the disputed islands in Efiat, Mbo Local Government Area, were never part of the land ceded to Cameroon under the 1913 Anglo-German treaties or the 2002 International Court of Justice (ICJ) ruling.
Bassey described the situation as a “national embarrassment,” stating that Cameroonian forces were imposing foreign laws on Nigerians living in 16 ancestral villages. He highlighted the economic impact, particularly in lost oil and gas revenues, as Cameroon allegedly exploits resources belonging to Nigeria.
He also referenced a 2016 discussion between former President Muhammadu Buhari and Cameroonian President Paul Biya, where Biya raised questions about Nigeria’s position on the Bakassi Peninsula and joint hydrocarbon ventures. Buhari had acknowledged the ICJ ruling but pointed out that the exact boundaries of international waters near the mangrove islands remained unresolved.
The Senate motion emphasized that the annexation violates several international agreements, including the 1913 Anglo-German treaties and the 1964 Resolution of the Organisation of African Unity, which upholds the territorial borders of African nations after independence.
Lawmakers called for a review of the ICJ judgment and urged the Federal Government to escalate the matter to the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea. Senator Jimoh Ibrahim (Ondo South) insisted that Nigeria must take the case to the international level, warning that failure to act could lead to environmental and economic disasters.
Senator Abdul Ningi (Bauchi Central) expressed concern that Nigeria could face a repeat of the Bakassi Peninsula situation, which was ceded to Cameroon during former President Olusegun Obasanjo’s administration. Other senators, including Agom Jarigbe (Cross River North) and Asuquo Ekpenyong (Cross River South), described the situation as an ongoing crisis that leaves Nigerian communities vulnerable to harassment by Cameroonian forces.
Senator Gbenga Daniel (Ogun East) also highlighted similar territorial concerns, citing claims by the Republic of Benin over Tungeji Island in Ogun State. The Senate’s call for action signals growing frustration over border disputes and their impact on national sovereignty and economic security.