Bakassi: Don asks FG to approach United Nations’ General Assembly

A Lecturer at the Department of International Law, Nasarawa State University, Keffi, ( NSUK), Dr Philip Umaru- Ajeh, has urged Nigerian foreign policy to take another look at the Bakassi Peninsula judgment in the interest of the sovereignty of the country.

Umaru- Ajeh, who spoke on Tuesday at the official launching of his book titled “Rudiments of International Law” in Keffi on Tuesday, said the national interest of Nigeria was in jeopardy in the judgement.

He said Bakassi is a local government in the country that cannot be ceded out without any tangible resistance.

According to him, Chapter nine of this book is a case study of the effectiveness of International Law and how it can be enforced.

“This chapter is indeed the icing on the cake as far as this book is concerned because it assesses the International Court of Justice’s judgement on the dispute between Cameroon and Nigeria over sovereignty on the  Bakassi Peninsula.

“It is a very interesting revelation about the weakness and plight of Nigeria as far as International law is concerned.

I hope those in charge of Nigeria Foreign policy may take another look at that judgement again.

“Although there is no provision in the ICJ  statute for appeal, the matter can be taken up with the General Assembly of the United Nations again as the national interest of Nigeria was in jeopardy in that judgement.

” All avenues in settling International disputes were not exhausted before the judgement was passed as explained in the book,” he said.

Umaru- Ajeh said the book was made up of nine chapters including references and appendices while disclosing that this was his third academic book being launched.

The Book Reviewer, Professor Onje Gye-Wado, who is also the Dean, Faculty of Law, Bingham University, Karu, commended the author for an excellent job done.

He urged scholars, politicians, teachers and other Nigerians to avail themselves and get the copy of the book for knowledge gaining and for the overall development of the country.

Also speaking, the Governor of Nasarawa state, Abdullahi Sule, commended Umaru- Ajeh for contributing his quota to the development of the education sector and the country and urged other lecturers to emulate him.

Sule, who was represented by his Commissioner for Special Duties (Legal Matters), Barrister Abubakar Imam, assured of his administration’s commitment to initiate good education policies and programmes for improved standard of education.

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