By Peter Omopo
The Government has dismissed reports suggesting that oil wells attributed to the state may be returned to , describing the claims as speculative and inconsistent with binding judicial rulings.
At a press briefing on Monday, the state government clarified that the (RMAFC) only received a draft report from a Federal Government inter-agency committee on February 13, 2026. It stressed that the document does not amount to a final decision, approved recommendation or reallocation of oil wells.
The government referenced the protracted legal dispute between the two states, noting that in 2005 the ruled in favour of Cross River only on aspects of the northern boundary dispute, while dismissing its claims over the southern estuarine territory where the disputed oil wells are located.
It further explained that the apex court relied on the October 10, 2002 judgment of the on the Nigeria–Cameroon boundary, which altered Cross River’s coastal status and effectively removed its seaward boundary.
According to the state, a subsequent Supreme Court judgment delivered on July 10, 2012 reaffirmed Akwa Ibom’s entitlement to the offshore oil wells, holding that Cross River was no longer a littoral state entitled to offshore derivation.
Citing Section 235 of the 1999 Constitution, the government emphasised that decisions of the Supreme Court are final and binding on all authorities, maintaining that no committee, panel or administrative process has the power to amend or reinterpret an apex court judgment.
The state insisted that all oil wells in dispute fall within Akwa Ibom’s recognised maritime boundaries based on established hydrographic coordinates and lawful boundary adjudications.
Assuring residents of its commitment to safeguarding the state’s economic interests, the government urged citizens to remain calm while institutional processes continue.
It reiterated that no oil well has been ceded, no Supreme Court ruling overturned and no constitutional provision amended, pledging to defend the state’s resources lawfully and peacefully for present and future generations.
