FG Suspends Controversial Border Demarcation in Cross River’s Boki, Saving Danare and Biajua Communities from Handover.
Hon. Victor Abang, the federal lawmaker representing Ikom/Boki constituency, has announced that Nigeria has suspended plans to transfer more than 10,000 hectares of land to Cameroon.
Speaking at a town-hall meeting and constituency briefing in Keyang 2, Boki Local Government Area, on Wednesday, Abang said the proposed handover was linked to the 2002 International Court of Justice (ICJ) judgment, which mandated demarcation of the border in accordance with the 1913 Anglo-German Treaty.
A joint technical committee was set up to implement the ruling, he explained, but its members proceeded with demarcation without properly referencing key colonial markers.
In particular, the committee overlooked Pillar 113A, a historic boundary pillar established under colonial agreements to separate Nigerian and Cameroonian territory.
Abang warned that continuing the process as planned would have resulted in the loss of over 10,000 hectares of Nigerian land, including portions of the Biajua and Danare communities, leading to irreversible damage to the nation’s land and cultural heritage.
To prevent this, he tabled a motion in the House of Representatives on July 5, 2023, which was debated and adopted.
As a result, the demarcation exercise has been paused until a thorough review of the procedure is completed.
At the same event, Abang launched a compendium documenting his achievements over the past two years, titled “The Banjuere.”
The publication details initiatives including the construction of a mini-stadium, the erection of telecommunication masts connecting 35 communities, and the supply of medical equipment valued at N300 million to Abo Ebam Primary Health Centre.
He also highlighted his sponsorship of the National Park Service (Amendment) Bill, designed to promote environmental protection and elevate the Okwangwo National Park Unit to independent status, thereby unlocking greater economic and developmental potential for the Boki forest region.
Abang expressed gratitude to his Boki constituents for their backing and called for ongoing alertness in safeguarding Nigeria’s sovereignty.
He pledged that future border adjustments would strictly uphold the country’s legal and historical entitlements.
