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Nigeria: Bakassi Indigenes Demand N456bn From FG
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This Day (Lagos)
22 April 2008
Posted to the web 22 April 2008
Funso Muraina
Abuja
Prominent indigenes of the oil rich Bakassi peninsula have demanded N456 billion compensation from the federal government.
In a suit filed before a Federal High Court in Abuja 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.
The plaintiff also demanded N100 billion damages for the infringement of their human rights to dignity, to acquire and own immovable property and right to self determination.
Two former chairmen of Bakassi local government, Chief Emmanuel Etene and Hon. Ani Esin led the eight plaintiffs that instituted the suit before the court.In the suit filed by their lawyer, Mr. Kayode Fasetire, the plaintiffs asked the court to stop the federal government from remitting funds due to Bakassi local government to the Cross Rivers State.The court was also called upon to restrain the government from relocating the administrative headquarters of Bakassi from Abana to any other place.
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They also asked for an order stopping the federal government from ceeding the remaining parts of Bakassi (Abana and Atabong Zones) to Cameroon.
On the ceded areas of Bakassi, 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.Respondents to the suit are, President Umaru Yar'Adua, the National Assembly, the Attorney-General of the Federation,the governor of Cross Rivers and the Cross Rivers State 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.
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