Mudiaga Affe, Calabar
More than 600 militants on Friday asked the Federal Government to reclaim the ceded Bakassi Peninsular from Cameroon.
The armed group, referred to as Bakassi
Strike Force, said apart from not being carried along before, during and
after the ceding process, the indigenes of Bakassi have neglected by
the Federal Government and other local and international stakeholders.
The militants, also known as Esighi
group, had a one-hour boat display with heavy weapons around Esighi axis
of Bakassi, before proceeding to Esuk-Mba.
In a sheer display to its combat
readiness, the group brandished weapons such as sophisticated gun boats,
Browning machine gun, rocket launchers, among others.
While admitting that they would be ready
to embrace amnesty if extended to them, leader of the group, General
Simply, also known as Humble Lion, said the people of Cross River and
Akwa Ibom states have been sidelined by the Federal Government in the
amnesty programme.
Simply, who read from a prepared speech,
said, “The Bakassi Strike Force is an indigenous group made up of
youths from Akwa Ibom and Cross River states, totalling 642 foot
soldiers.
You will agree with me that Akwa Ibom
and Cross River states are part of the Niger Delta region, yet we have
been completely sidelined from the amnesty scheme and other empowerment
programmes for the youth of the area.
“Yet it will interest you to note that
it is in Obubra, Cross River State that the team of Niger Delta
militants was hosted, when states such as Bayelsa, Delta, Rivers, Edo
and Ondo refused to host the rehabilitation camp for the militants.
“Again, the Federal Government took away
our oil rich Bakassi from us and handed over to Cameroon. We as
indigenes and habitants were not consulted before this was done, neither
were there any constitutional resettlement process initiated for the
displaced persons.
“To make matters worse, after taking
over our land, the Cameroonian forces began to harass and molest our
people. They even levied us with heavy taxes which became entirely
unbearable.
“Therefore, when it became obvious after
several petitions that the federal and state governments were not ready
to protect us and even the United Nations, we invited our Ijaw brothers
who were already in the arms struggle to resist the Cameroonian
operatives, but unfortunately, they embraced Federal Government amnesty
programme when it was offered and abandoned us.
“As indigenous youths, we have no other
option than rise to defend and defend ourselves from the operations and
injustice from the Cameroonian forces. The Federal Government should
reclaim Bakassi from Cameroon.”
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