The Nigerian Senate has established an ad-hoc committee to investigate the alleged annexation of the country’s mangrove islands and maritime territories by Cameroon. The committee is expected to submit its findings and recommendations within two months.
In its resolutions, the Senate urged President Bola Tinubu to take immediate steps to secure Nigeria’s territorial waters, including the protection of over 2,560 oil wells located within the disputed mangrove islands in Akwa Ibom State. Senate leaders also committed to engaging directly with President Tinubu to explore diplomatic solutions to the issue.
During plenary on Tuesday, lawmakers emphasized the need for urgent action to prevent further escalation, describing the situation as a “provocation by the Republic of Cameroon.”
The motion, sponsored by Senator Aniekan Bassey under Orders 41 and 51, raised concerns over the economic and territorial implications of Cameroon’s alleged encroachment. Senator Bassey noted that the affected islands in Efiat, Mbo Local Government Area of Akwa Ibom State, were not part of the territories ceded to Cameroon under the 1913 Anglo-German treaties or the International Court of Justice (ICJ) ruling of October 2002.
He further alleged that Cameroonian security forces, known as the Gendarmes, had imposed foreign laws on Nigerians residing in 16 ancestral villages within the disputed area, calling the development a “monumental national embarrassment.”
Lawmakers argued that the reported annexation violates multiple international agreements and called for a review of the ICJ judgment. They also urged the federal government to escalate the matter to the United Nations Convention.
