Akwa Ibom State Governor Umo Eno has pushed back firmly against renewed claims over disputed offshore oil wells, saying the matter has already been settled by the courts and cannot be rewritten by public debate.
At the heart of the disagreement are 76 oil wells contested by neighboring Cross River State, a dispute that traces back to the 2008 transfer of the Bakassi Peninsula to Cameroon, which left Cross River without a coastline.
In 2012, Supreme Court of Nigeria ruled that the oil wells belong to Akwa Ibom. Cross River has since argued that updated geological mapping suggests that 67 of the wells fall within its territory.
Speaking to journalists on Sunday after arriving at Victor Attah International Airport in Uyo, Eno said there was no ambiguity in the legal position.
“There are two Supreme Court judgments that give Akwa Ibom State the right to those oil wells,” he said. “We are not sharing maritime boundaries with Cross River State but with the Republic of Cameroon, and that has been affirmed twice.”
He urged residents not to be unsettled by renewed rhetoric surrounding the issue, describing contrary claims as attempts to stir sentiment rather than law.
“This is not about emotions,” he said. “Facts are sacred. You cannot overturn Supreme Court decisions with propaganda.”
The dispute carries major financial implications. Oil derivation revenue remains a crucial source of income for producing states in Nigeria, making control of offshore wells highly consequential for state budgets and development plans.
The Revenue Mobilisation Allocation and Fiscal Commission has also denied reports suggesting the wells were ceded to Cross River, calling such claims inaccurate.
Eno expressed confidence that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu would uphold the rule of law and respect existing judicial rulings.
“I believe the rule of law will be respected,” he said. “We cannot discard Supreme Court decisions on this matter.”
While Cross River has not formally reopened litigation, the renewed public assertions underscore lingering tensions over boundary demarcation and resource control in the Niger Delta.
Legal experts note that unless successfully challenged through due process, the Supreme Court’s rulings remain binding reinforcing the judiciary’s authority in resolving disputes between states in Africa’s largest oil-producing nation.
