Nigeria will not encroach on Bakassi Peninsula, Buhari tells Cameroon

Nigeria will not disregard the ruling of the International Court of Justice (ICJ) by encroaching on the disputed Bakassi Peninsula, President Muhammadu Buhari said Wednesday.

The President, who spoke at a joint press briefing at the end of a two-day visit by the Cameroonian President, Paul Biya, in response to a question by a Cameroon journalist, denied allegations that Nigeria was illegally exploiting hydrocarbon mineral resources from the Bakassi Peninsula, a territory that had been in contention between the two countries.

The ICJ at The Hague, Netherlands, had at its ruling, ceded the Bakassi Peninsula to Cameroon in 2002, despite disagreement by Nigeria.

“I will like the government and people of Cameroon to keep their minds at peace. Nigeria is an internationally respectful and abiding nation. Somehow there was a crisis between the two nations on Bakassi Peninsula over the hydrocarbon exploitation; this issue is being dealt with by the ICJ,” Buhari said.

He added that the a committee of experts, comprising of Cameroon and Nigeria sides, were working on a report and when it “gets to us and when they submit the report I expect that with a few of us that are still around, we shall sit together and see what is the best way for the two countries, so feel secured and be at peace.”

Biya also responded to questions from Nigerian journalists denied allegations that his country was beginning to drag feet on its cooperation with Nigeria, and as such fleeing terrorists where finding solace in Cameroon.

Biya said the report was unfounded, as his country had nothing to benefit from aiding members of the Boko Haram sect, saying, “I have had of this information; I heard it in New York during conferences that Cameroun serves as bases for Boko Haram.

“But what can Cameroon benefit from that? Is it the ideologies, or are we going to benefit from finances? No! It was just bad press and Cameroon remains focused and committed to the fight against Boko Haram.”

The two countries signed bilateral agreements on cooperation against terrorism, violent extremism and cross-border crimes, as well as on strengthening trade and economic relations between them.