The Bakassi Debacle
Bassey Ewa Henshaw

About the Book

Accounts of the ceding of Bakassi reveal the intrigues and betrayal of the people of the Bakassi by their government – from the delay in the issuance of a visa to enable the then Obong of Calabar travel to the Hague and the concomitant frustration of his efforts to testify at the hearings; to the allegation that the President of Nigeria had, during a trip to France, committed to both the Presidents of France and Cameroon to accept and abide by the decision of the ICJ prior to the judgement; and the abruptness and secrecy which appeared to characterise the signing of the Green Tree Agreement etc. – all appear to suggest that those involved may have been working towards an already determined objective on the Bakassi issue.

 Notwithstanding, the more disturbing aspect of this saga remains the seeming indifference of the federal authorities to the plight of the Bakassi people. ...There is a special committee in the Presidency to assist in sourcing for funds to assist the Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs), in the north-east affected by the ongoing insurgency by Boko Haram. But the plight of the displaced people of Bakassi, a direct result of the action of their government is hardly addressed. ...Thus the story of Bakassi is also a study in the indifference and neglect of a people whose security and welfare... should be the primary purpose of their government.

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