On August 14, 2008, Nigeria officially ceded the oil-rich Bakassi Peninsula to Cameroon, marking the end of a 15-year territorial dispute that brought the two West African neighbours to the brink of war.
Nigerian authorities formally transferred sovereignty of the peninsula in line with the 2002 ruling of the International Court of Justice at The Hague in a ceremony attended by government officials, traditional rulers, and representatives of the United Nations.
“We are saddled with the painful, but important task of completing the implementation of the International Court of Justice’s judgment by handing the Bakassi peninsula to Cameroon,” said Nigeria’s Attorney-General, Michael Aondoakaa, at the handover event.
The ICJ ruled on October 10, 2002 that Bakassi legally belonged to Cameroon. To avoid further conflict, both countries signed the Greentree Agreement in June 2006 under the auspices of former UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan, outlining a phased withdrawal.
UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon, in a message delivered at the ceremony, described the handover as “a triumph for the rule of law” and “an example to the world on how to peacefully resolve sensitive problems.”
The peninsula, located on the Gulf of Guinea, is believed to hold significant oil and gas reserves and has been the subject of intense and sometimes violent disputes for decades.
An estimated 200,000 to 300,000 people live in Bakassi, with around 90% believed to be Nigerian fishermen and their families. Many residents say they do not wish to become Cameroonians, raising concerns about relocation and livelihoods.
Senator Bassey Ewa-Henshaw, whose constituency included Bakassi, warned that “adequate preparations have not been made for their relocation” and expressed fears of future unrest.
Cameroon officials hailed the transfer as “the end of a crisis” that began in December 1993 when Nigerian troops occupied villages on the peninsula.
The UN described the negotiated settlement as “a model for negotiated settlements of border disputes”.
