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All Journal Dialektika kontemporer Pinisi Journal of Social Science
Ibiang Okoi
University of Calabar
Social Sciences Other

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From International Court to Community Conflict: The Unintended Consequences of the Bakassi Ruling on Inter-Community Relations in the Cross River Estuary Ibiang Okoi; Felix Tabi Okorn
Jurnal Ilmu Sosiologi Dialektika Kontemporer Vol 14, No 1 (2026)
Publisher : dialektika kontemporer

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Abstract

The 2002 International Court of Justice ruling on the Bakassi Peninsula, which ceded the territory to Cameroon, represents one of the most significant boundary decisions in post-colonial Africa. While extensively analysed for its geopolitical and legal implications, the ruling's unintended consequences on inter-community relations within Nigeria's Cross River estuary remain inadequately examined. This paper argues that the ICJ judgment triggered a cascade of secondary boundary disputes by fundamentally altering Cross River State's coastal status, creating legal ambiguity around maritime boundaries, and generating resource competition that has manifested in renewed tensions between neighbouring communities and states. Drawing on legal geography and borderland studies frameworks, the paper analyses how an international legal decision, designed to resolve a bilateral dispute, has produced complex local consequences including the Cross River-Akwa Ibom offshore oil wells conflict, heightened inter-community competition over fishing grounds and mangrove resources, and internal political fragmentation within affected communities. The research demonstrates that international boundary adjudication cannot be understood as an isolated legal event but must be recognised as a transformative force that reshapes local spatial realities, often in ways that judicial bodies neither anticipate nor address. The findings contribute to broader scholarly conversations about the relationship between international law and local lived experiences, the unintended consequences of boundary-making, and the limitations of state-centric approaches to territorial dispute resolution.
The Pre-Colonial Boundary as a Post-Colonial Problem: A Historical and Legal Analysis of the Nigeria-Cameroon Border Ibiang Okoi
Pinisi Journal of Social Science Vol 4, No 3 (2026): Januari
Publisher : Universitas Negeri Makassar

Show Abstract | Download Original | Original Source | Check in Google Scholar | DOI: 10.26858/pjss.v4i3.70290

Abstract

The Nigeria-Cameroon border, running from the Gulf of Guinea to Lake Chad, remains one of Africa’s most contested international boundaries. This paper argues that the post-colonial problems along this border stem directly from the imposition of colonial boundaries that disregarded pre-existing African political and ethnic configurations. Drawing on archival records, international legal decisions, and contemporary ethnographic studies, the paper first reconstructs the nature of pre-colonial boundaries in the region, emphasizing their fluidity, negotiability, and cultural embeddedness. It then traces the colonial construction of the boundary through the Anglo-German agreements of 1893, 1913, and the subsequent League of Nations mandate system. The core of the paper demonstrates how the post-colonial adoption of the principle of uti possidetis juris transformed artificially drawn colonial lines into permanent international borders, generating three interlocking problems: the fragmentation of ethnic groups (notably the Ejagham, Boki, and Ijaw), the militarization of borderland communities, and resource conflicts exemplified by the Bakassi Peninsula dispute. The 2002 International Court of Justice ruling and the 2006 Greentree Agreement are analyzed as incomplete solutions that reaffirmed colonial boundaries without addressing pre-colonial realities. The paper concludes that while colonial boundaries are legally fixed, sustainable peace requires recognizing pre-existing transborder networks and implementing people-centred border management.
The Efficacy of Joint Border Patrols: Assessing the Impact of the Nigeria-Niger ‘Operation Yaki’ on Cross-Border Crime and Community Relations Ibiang Okoi
Pinisi Journal of Social Science Vol 4, No 2 (2025): September
Publisher : Universitas Negeri Makassar

Show Abstract | Download Original | Original Source | Check in Google Scholar | DOI: 10.26858/pjss.v4i2.68320

Abstract

This paper presents a comprehensive assessment of ‘Operation Yaki,’ a joint border patrol initiative between Nigeria and Niger, established to combat transborder crime and insecurity in the volatile Sahel region. Set against a backdrop of chronic insecurity characterized by terrorism, arms smuggling, human trafficking, and banditry, the operation represents a critical case study in bilateral security cooperation in Africa. The research investigates the operational efficacy of the joint patrols in suppressing cross-border criminal activities and, with equal emphasis, analyzes their multifaceted impact on community-state relations and inter-communal dynamics along the borderlands. Employing a qualitative methodology that synthesizes policy analysis, security reports, and secondary ethnographic accounts, the paper argues that while Operation Yaki has achieved measurable tactical successes in disrupting criminal logistics and enhancing real-time intelligence sharing, its overall strategic impact is significantly mediated by deep-seated socio-political and structural factors. These include the historical legacy of the colonial border, complex ethnic and kinship ties that transcend state boundaries, local community perceptions of state security forces, and the persistent socio-economic drivers of crime. Findings suggest that the operation, though a necessary and innovative response, often functions within a paradigm of securitization that can inadvertently marginalize border communities, potentially fueling resentment and undermining long-term security. The paper concludes that the efficacy of joint border patrols cannot be judged solely on crime statistics but must be evaluated within a holistic framework that considers community engagement, human security, and developmental interventions. It recommends a recalibration of Operation Yaki towards a more integrated, community-sensitive model of border governance that leverages trust, addresses root causes of instability, and aligns with broader regional security architectures like the Multinational Joint Task Force (MNJTF) and the G5 Sahel.
Co-Authors Felix Tabi Okorn