President Goodluck Jonathan

Jude Okwe 

Nigerian border communities have resolved to join forces with their counterparts in Cameroun to form the Republic of Ambazonia to spite Federal Government’s refusal to appeal the judgment of the International Court of Justice (ICJ) which ceded Bakassi Peninsula to the Republic of Cameroun in 2002.

The border communities have formed an association to galvanise support to solicit recognition by the United Nations (UN) and other countries.  The association will act as a lobby group and reach out to those that matter in international politics.

Leader of the association and former member of the Cross River State House of Assembly, Mr. Cletus Obun, unfolded the agenda of the group yesterday in Calabar in a chat with some newsmen, saying the Federal Government’s lukewarm attitude to call for the appeal was clearly an indication that any Nigerian border community can easily be handed over to Cameroun.

Accompanied by representatives of border communities from Boki, Bekwarra, Bakassi, Obanliku, Etung and Obudu Local Government Areas, Obun said the association was ready to apply to the UN for a plebiscite on the self-determination quest.

“We will embark on a serious mobilisation across the local government areas bordering Cameroun, in collaboration with the Efiks in Bakassi and the Southern Cameroun for an independent state of Ambazonia.
“We are going to seek for a plebiscite under the UN Charter on Human Rights”, he said.

He revealed that the plan for Ambazonia Republic was not new as it began long ago, and called for the support of all well-meaning people both within and outside Cross River to actualise the envisaged country.

According to him, the English speaking part of Cameroun long marginalised its French counterpart in development and political leadership of the country has been agitating for self rule and was at the vanguard of the envisaged country.

“We have the right under the UN charter on human and peoples rights, to pursue self freedom; we therefore solicit the support and cooperation of Nigerians and the International community,” he stated.

In his comment, a member of one of the communities in Obudu, Mr. Emmanuel Okwe, said that the people were ready for self-determination considering that Nigerian government does not care about border communities.

``We are ready to use all legal means to under the protection of the UN to achieve our freedom, ‘’ he said.

Some local government areas in Cross River North senatorial district share international boundaries with Southern Cameroun.