The Akwa Ibom State Government has dismissed renewed claims by the Cross River Patriotic Front seeking the “return” of 76 oil wells, insisting that the matter has been conclusively settled by the Supreme Court and relevant federal authorities.

The State Commissioner for Information, Dr. Aniekan Umanah, said the oil wells are legally and geographically within Akwa Ibom’s maritime boundary and cannot be reassigned based on public agitation

“The 76 oil wells rightly belong to Akwa Ibom State,” Umanah said. “Their location is defined by internationally recognised maritime coordinates and affirmed by the Supreme Court. This is not a matter of sentiment but of constitutional and legal authority.”

The controversy follows renewed calls from a Cross River group alleging that the oil wells were taken from the state after the cession of the Bakassi Peninsula to Cameroon.

However, Umanah stated that the Supreme Court had ruled that Cross River lost its littoral status following the cession of Bakassi and therefore does not qualify for offshore derivation claims.

“Under Section 235 of the 1999 Constitution, the judgment of the Supreme Court is final,” he said. “No committee, press statement or public campaign can overturn the decision of the apex court.”

He added that the cession of Bakassi, which followed the 2002 judgment of the International Court of Justice, did not transfer offshore oil wells outside the ceded territory to Cross River State.

According to him, federal institutions including the Revenue Mobilisation Allocation and Fiscal Commission (RMAFC), the National Boundary Commission (NBC), and the Office of the Surveyor-General of the Federation (OSGOF) relied on technical and hydrographic data to determine the proper maritime boundaries and oil well attribution.

“Oil well allocation follows legally established boundary lines, not emotional appeals,” Umanah said.

The commissioner maintained that the state remains committed to peaceful engagement and inter-state cooperation but will defend its lawful entitlements.

“These oil wells are not assets awaiting return. They are vested in Akwa Ibom State by law and by the judgment of the Supreme Court,” he said.

Copyright © 2026 Nigerian Tribune Provided by SyndiGate Media Inc. (Syndigate.info).