The Senate on Thursday resolved to investigate the recent harassment of Bakassi indigenes in Cameroon which led to the death of some Nigerians and their mass return.

The Upper Chamber also called on the Cameroonian government through the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to respect provision of the Green Tree Agreement. ‎

The Green Tree Charter provides that Cameroon would not force Nigerian nationals living in the Bakassi to leave the zone or change their nationality, respect their culture, language and beliefs‎, take every necessary measures to protect Nigerian nationals living in the zone from any harassment or harms, among others.

In the main motion, Senator Rose Oko, representing Cross River North, said that Nigerians in Bakassi had suffered attacks leadin/g to death on several occasion in the ‎past.

She expressed worries at growing discriminatory treatment of Nigerians in the Diaspora often leading to deaths as has been the case in South Africa and Cameroon since the ceding of the Bakassi Peninsula.

‎The Minority Leader, Senator Godswill Akpabio, who seconded the motion, said the issue of Bakassi had become a turning point. Bakassi Peninsula, according to Akpabio, has become a den for criminals, advising the Federal Government to call on all authorities to honour all agreements.

Senate President, Dr Bukola Saraki referred the matter to the Committee on Diaspora and Foreign Affairs to report back within two weeks.

In its additional prayers, the Senate asked the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to forward the treaty (military agreement) for ratification by the parliament.

‎However, Senate condemned in strong terms the actions of Cameroonian gendarmes against Nigerians in the Bakassi Peninsula.

Following agreements and treaties from 1885 between Britain, Germany and France over the boundary between Nigeria and Cameroon and the actions between the two government Nigeria and Cameroon, the ownership of the Bakassi Peninsula became contentious.

However, on March 29, 1994, Cameroon took the matter to the International Court of Justice. And on October 10, 2002 the ICJ ruled in favour of Cameroon.

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