By Patrick Wemambu
Cross River State government has alleged that its Akwa Ibom state counterpart is not interested in resolving the over a decade old contentious 76 oil wells’ dispute between the two coastal states.
In a press release entitled; “Re: 76 Oil Wells: Restatement Of Facts Updated Version” issued by the Cross River State Commissioner for Information, Dr. Erasmus Ekpang and made available to Nigerian Pilot yesterday – Akwa Ibom State was accused of spreading inaccurate information, and outright falsehood against the Cross River State Government, and its people on the vexatious matter.
“The attention of the Cross River State Government (CRSG) has been drawn to a Press Release issued by Uko Udom, SAN, the Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice of Akwa Ibom State on the 24th July, 2025 wherein several misrepresentations and outright falsehood were made against the government and the good people of Cross River State.
“Given the sensitivity of the issue, the Cross River State Government would ordinarily not join in litigating this matter in the Court of Public Opinion, just as our sister state desires in the light of her various publications on the subject matter…”
The commissioner said although the case over the ownership of the Bakassi Peninsula in the ICJ was largely favourable to the Republic of Cameroon, it did not affect all parts of Bakassi, especially its western flank which is still in Cross River State.
Ekpang went on to stress that the renewed agitation for a revisit of the issue of the 76 Oil Wells followed the discovery of fresh facts which clearly indicated that Cross River State’s 76 Oil Wells were wrongly awarded to Akwa Ibom State.
“The ICJ delivered its Judgment in 2002 ceding the Southern portion of the Bakassi Peninsula to Cameroon leaving out Western Bakassi in Nigeria in the Judgment.
“The clear implication of that judgment is that Western Bakassi remains in Cross River State and in Nigeria.
“It must be noted that the judgment of the International Court of Justice was implemented by the Signing of the Green Tree Agreement in 2008 where Nigeria and Cameroon, with the help of the United Nations which set up the structures for the handover of Southern Bakassi Peninsular to Cameroon and initiated the Joint Boundary Demarcation Committee known as the Cameroon-Nigeria Mixed Commission with the mandate of mapping out the land and maritime boundary between Nigeria and Cameroon…”
The commissioner advanced reasons why Cross River State was calling for a revisit of the ownership for the 76 Oil Wells. He elucidated; “Notwithstanding the several judgments of the Supreme Court referred to in the Press Release under reference, in March, 2024, the attention of His Excellency, Sen. Prince Bassey Edet Otu, the Governor of Cross River State was drawn to the fact that several oil wells, in OML 114 and 123 Oil fields, were indeed within the Cross River State’s maritime boundary and for which it derived no revenue whatsoever.”
Nigerian Pilot reports that only recently, Akwa Ibom State government cautioned against what it termed ‘renewed incitement, inflammatory media campaigns’ over the state’s ownership of the 76 oil wells.
“We align fully with the counsel of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu that both states should pursue constructive dialogue and mutually beneficial cooperation,” part of the statement issued by Uko Udom, SAN, the state’s attorney general and commissioner for justice last weekend read.
