Nigeria, Cameroon suspend drilling at maritime border as Bakassi boils

Anietie Akpan

Nigeria and Cameroon have reportedly suspended oil exploitation at the maritime border of Bakassi Peninsula in the Gulf of Guinea till January 2024.

Top sources said the suspension commenced on December 12 following the bombing of two oil installations at the drilling site by the Dragon Fighter Marine militants that killed nine Joint Border Security men and three oil workers (JBS).

It was gathered that the militant group suspected to be loyal to the Biafra Nations League (BnL), a group whose operational base is Bakassi Peninsula, stormed the drilling site from the Nigeria area with three boats and fired three explosives, killing nine JBS and three oil workers.

Authorities concerned have not publicly commented on the attack and reasons for suspending drilling yet.

Meanwhile, the Rapid d’intervention Battalions (BIR) had two days ago killed the second in command of the Black Marine, aka Commander Sniper in a face-to-face confrontation.

The BIR were said to have met the militant group on their way to Abana when they opened fire killing the number two commander.

Commenting on the bombing of the oil installations, suspension of drilling and the recent killing of the Black Marine commander, the Leader of the BnL, Princewill Chimeyien Richards told Pillar Today, “It serves them right, that is what we want.

No drilling until we achieve freedom unless they have to be bound by our terms and conditions”. On the commander’s death, Richards said, “We received the news with sadness, hopefully, another like him shall rise”.