Ise-Oluwa Ige
22 April 2008
Lagos — Prominent natives of the Bakassi Peninsula have filed a class action before a Federal high court sitting in Abuja, demanding a total N456 billion compensation from the Federal Government over what they called "compulsory" ceding of their ancestral home to Cameroon.
The indigenes led by two former chairmen of Bakassi local government are also begging the court for its order stopping the Federal Government from remitting funds due to Bakassi local government to Cross River State.
Besides, they are also urging the court to issue an order restraining the government from relocating the administrative headquarters of Bakassi from Abana to any other place.
They also asked for an order stopping the Federal Government from ceding the remaining parts of Bakassi (Abana and Atabong Zones) to Cameroon.
The plaintiffs in the case include two ex-chairmen of Bakassi local government, Chief Emmanuel Etene and Hon. Ani Esin with six others.
Named as respondents are President Umaru Yar'Adua, the National Assembly, the Attorney-General of the Federation, the Governor of Cross Rivers and the Cross Rivers State House of Assembly.
Others are the National Boundary Commission, the Federal Ministry of Finance, the Central Bank of Nigeria and the Revenue Mobilisation, Allocation and Fiscal Commission.
In the suit filed at the registry of the Abuja division of the Federal high court, the plaintiffs are seeking N356 billion compensation from the government for the compulsory ceding of their ancestral homes and land and their source of livelihood to Cameroon in an unconstitutional manner.
They are also demanding N100 billion damages for the infringement of their human rights to dignity, to acquire and own immovable property and right to self determination.
The plaintiffs said they rejected the resettlement of the affected people to the newly created New Bakassi.
"The creation of the New Bakassi Local Government by legislative fiat and the relocation of the headquarter without compliance with Constitutional provision is inchoate," they said.
"The said New Bakassi is already inhabited by people other than Bakassi people, and the inhabitants are hostile to the Bakassi refugees," they added.
They also said that the New Bakassi is landlocked and ideal for farmers and not fishermen like them.
The plaintiff therefore sought the order of the court "directing the respondents to resettle them at Nsutana Iyata in Cross Rivers State or any other area, location in the State where they may choose by way of plebiscite or referendum".
The plaintiffs contended that the 206,000 citizens of Bakassi are entitled to be protected and catered for by the government.
They alleged that the Cameroon authority which the government have left their fate to have a history of imposing undue taxes, molesting, assaulting and killing Nigerians citizens in Bakassi.
"The choice of remaining as Nigerians in Cameroon as offered by the Green Tree Agreement is no choice at all, moreover, when Nigeria government will not have authority over the people in Bakassi after August 11, 2008," they said.
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