Nigeria will no longer tolerate the ceding of any part of its territory to another country, Senate President David Mark said on Thursday.
He spoke in reaction to Senate Leader, Victor Ndoma-Egba’s alert that there was an imminent loss of some communities in Danari, Boko Local Government Area of Cross River State to Cameroon.
Ndoma-Egba (SAN), who spoke under Order 42 of the Senate Rules, said some additional Cross River territories were about to be ceded away, if the ongoing international boundary adjustment in the area was not stopped with immediate effect.
He explained that the boundary adjustment was creating a lot of anxiety among his people.
He said: “They (constituents) fear that at the end of the exercise, we will be losing not just communities but a number of communities to the Cameroun.
“So, with your kind permission, I will like to bring a formal a motion on this on our next legislative day (June 24)”.
Senators overwhelmingly supported Ndoma-Egba’s request when it was put to a voice vote by Senator Mark.
Mark said: “This country must never, under any circumstance, surrender one milimetre of our land to any country, irrespective of who is supervising it – whether it is the United Nations (UN), or African Union (AU).
“It is a serious issue, and the matter will be discussed on our next legislative day”.
The Senate Leader noted that he deferred the matter to the next legislative day to enable him get details.
He said: “I have information that right now, pursuant to the Green Tree Agreement, which resulted in the ceding of Bakassi to the Cameroun (in 2008), some boundary adjustment exercise is going on and they are right now in a place called Danari.
“Danari is in Boki Local Government Area of Cross River State and it is in my constituency. And there is a lot of anxiety among the people that the exercise will result in loss of territory to the Cameroun.
“I don’t have the details, but I thought Nigerians should know that this is going on and this is the anxiety. I am going to the constituency now. When I get home, I will get more details and then bring a formal motion on the floor.
“I have received information that is to underscore the anxiety that is going on among the people of the affected communities”.
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