The Cross River State Businessmen’s Forum has rejected the claim attributed to Senate President Godswill Akpabio that Cross River State is a landlocked state, insisting that the state remains a littoral state with a connection to the Atlantic Ocean.
The Forum, in a statement issued in Calabar and signed by its President, Chief Henry Onwe, described the reported position as geographically inaccurate and urged stakeholders to rely on scientific, geographical and certified federal data in determining the state’s status.
Akpabio reportedly described Cross River as a non-littoral state during an event marking the 39th anniversary of Akwa Ibom State. The comment has since generated reactions in Cross River, particularly because of the state’s renewed campaign for recognition of its maritime status and its claims over offshore oil resources.
The Businessmen’s Forum cited the presence of the Eastern Naval Command in Calabar as one of the indicators of Cross River’s longstanding maritime importance. It also pointed to the Cross River Estuary, which it said connects the state to the Atlantic Ocean, as well as islands extending towards international waters.
The Forum further argued that the 2012 Supreme Court judgment on the disputed oil wells did not physically remove Cross River’s coastline. It maintained that the judgment dealt with the allocation of the disputed oil wells and should not be interpreted as changing the state’s geographical reality.
The group also referred to ongoing technical exercises involving federal agencies, including the Revenue Mobilisation Allocation and Fiscal Commission (RMAFC) and the Nigerian Upstream Petroleum Regulatory Commission (NUPRC). According to the Forum, GPS mapping and other technical assessments are being used to address historical anomalies relating to the state’s boundaries and oil assets.
It also said scientific work connected to the proposed Bakassi Deep Seaport had identified oil wellheads within areas it considers part of Cross River’s coastal boundaries.
The littoral-status debate has intensified in recent months as Cross River continues to push for renewed recognition of its maritime status and economic rights linked to offshore oil resources. The state government has previously argued that its position is based on geographical and scientific evidence rather than a claim to territory belonging to Akwa Ibom.
The Businessmen’s Forum said it supports Governor Bassey Otu’s efforts on the issue and called on the media and other stakeholders to maintain neutrality by examining physical geography and certified federal records.
The latest development adds another voice to the growing debate over whether Cross River’s geographical connection to the sea should be distinguished from the legal and administrative consequences of previous court decisions and the transfer of the Bakassi Peninsula to Cameroon.
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