The Akwa Ibom State Government has firmly restated its legal ownership of 76 disputed offshore oil wells, cautioning against what it describes as ongoing incitement and misinformation emanating from neighbouring Cross River State.

In a statement signed by the State Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice, Uko Udom (SAN), the government said it was compelled to issue the clarification following recent public commentary and petitions from Cross River State officials challenging the settled status of the oil-rich territory.

According to the statement, the matter has been conclusively determined by the Supreme Court on two separate occasions—in 2005 and 2012—in favour of Akwa Ibom. The oil wells in question are located offshore, within the 200-metre isobath and are geographically contiguous to Akwa Ibom, it said.

The state maintained that Cross River no longer qualifies as a littoral state, following the 2002 International Court of Justice (ICJ) judgment which ceded the Bakassi Peninsula to Cameroon, effectively removing Cross River’s access to the sea and, by extension, offshore oil assets.

“The facts before the court do not support the claim of the plaintiff to being a littoral state. A non-littoral state cannot claim oil wells offshore, as it has no maritime boundary,” the Supreme Court ruled in its 2012 judgment.

Akwa Ibom also noted that contrary to popular assumptions, it did not initiate litigation on the issue. Rather, it said, Cross River filed and lost two legal suits in which it had challenged both land and maritime boundaries.

The state further revealed that it made repeated attempts to resolve the matter amicably, including an offer of a ₦250 million monthly ex gratia payment from its derivation revenue—a gesture it claims was rejected by Cross River in 2006.

In light of the Vice President’s recent call for political dialogue, the statement emphasised Akwa Ibom’s continued openness to peaceful negotiations—provided they are based on respect for constitutional and judicial boundaries.

However, the government criticised what it called a media-led campaign by Cross River State officials that has stirred tension and misrepresented legal facts. “Officials have made incendiary and patently false claims that have agitated the people of Akwa Ibom State and introduced an unwarranted sense of apprehension,” the statement read.

It added that any political settlement must also revisit the issue of Akwa Ibom communities allegedly reassigned to Cross River, as this was also part of the boundary dispute addressed by the court.

While calling for constructive engagement, the government warned against any attempts to undermine court rulings through public pressure or misinformation. “We align fully with the counsel of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu that both states should pursue constructive dialogue and mutually beneficial cooperation,” the statement concluded.

Akwa Ibom also referenced its own loss of 86 oil wells to Rivers State in a separate 2011 Supreme Court ruling, saying it accepted the verdict in good faith and expects the same respect for legal finality from others.

The Guardian made attempts to reach out to the Cross River State government for its take on the issue before publication but didn’t get a response.