BUHARI-HELP US

Bakassi returnees beg Buhari to take over camp

Bakassi displaced kids

No fewer than 3, 000 displaced Bakassi returnees have appealed to President Muhammadu Buhari, to take over the running of their temporary camp from the Cross River State Government like the Federal Government did in the case of Boko Haram victims in Bornu State.

Precisely 3, 226 Bakassi returnees are currently camped at Akwa-Ikot-Edem Primary School and Government Secondary School in Akwa-Ikot-Eyo-Edem of Akpabuyo Local Government Area of the state.

Majority of them were evicted on March 7, 2013 from their Efut Obot Ikot community by the Cameroon authorities and they had been under the care of the Cross River State Government.

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However, leader of the returnees, Mr. Etim Ene-Okon, in a passionate appeal to President Buhari, said the Federal Government should take over the running of the camp as was done to displaced Boko Haram victims in Bornu State.

Ene-Okon, in an interview on Wednesday, said, “We need the Federal Government, led by President Muhammadu Buhari, to take over this camp like it did in Bornu State for Boko Haram victims. We are suffering and from the look of things, the state can no longer manage the camp.

“We lack proper feeding and other facilities at the moment. Our children need to be educated, we need empowerment and employment. The Cross River State Government can no longer manage this situation.”

He lamented that the people started suffering the moment the Bakassi Peninsula was finally ceded to Cameroon, adding, “They sacked us from the place in a manner that was inhuman. The Green Tree Agreement provided for us our choice of stay. It was either we remained in Cameroon or returned to Nigeria.

“But immediately after the terminal date of the window of the appeal provided for by the International Court of Justice in 2013, the Cameroonian authorities sacked all of us. They even killed some of us while others were jailed.

“Since 2013, we have been refugees in our land, living in the primary school here. More worrisome are our aged mothers and small children. Since September 2014, the Cross River State Government stopped sending relief materials to this camp due to financial problems.”

Following their plight, the United Nations High Commission for Refugees established a commercial farm worth about N7m for the returnees located in Ikpa-Nkanya in May 2015, but the people have complained of the long distances they trek everyday to even get to the facility.

Responding to the development, Cross River State Governor, Ben Ayade, noted that while the state government does its best to alleviate the sufferings of the displaced persons, the responsibility of the displaced persons was that of the Federal Government.

Ayade promised that the state government would pass on the message to the Federal Government for urgent attention.

He said, “It is my responsibility as a governor to provide housing for all, but take note that the Bakassi issue is the duty of the Federal Government. We are going to take their case to the Federal Government to be reviewed and revisited.

“But I will not wait for the Federal Government before taking my action. By the time the Federal Government sees my action and result, definitely, President Buhari will respond.”