The Cross River estuary have its direct access to the sea (Atlantic ocean) at a Flag Point call ALIGATOR. It is at this point that Goldie creek that extend eastward along the sea shore to Esuk Mba in Akpabuyo LGA confluence with the Cross River. Westward of this same point is the Parrot Crossing that lead one to Esuk Oron down to Ibaka at Tom Shot Island, Mbo LGA of Akwa Ibom State.
While Ibaka beach is the last of Akwa Ibom communities westward at the point where the Cross River Estuary emptied into the sea, the Goldie creek is Eastward of the same Cross River estuary at the same point it emptied its water into the high sea.
A Google map of the said area has conspicuous dark dotted lines that shows the boundary demarcation between Cross River State and Akwa Ibom along the said river into the sea.
From the Goldie creek, going eastward along the sea will lead one to several fishing pots including a spot called Smoke Crossing at Mark Point where the Great Kwa River emptied into the sea at Esuk Mba. Going further eastward, there is another spot known as Alert Bank at Richardson Point, Essighi, where the proposed Bakassi Deep Sea Port is sited. From there to Austin Point at Dayspring, Ikang.
It is at Dayspring that the Ikang River emptied into the sea. The Ikang River is the present boundary between Nigeria and the Republic of Cameroon. The river equally separate Ikang from Idaba, Ine Ikoi, Abana which is within the Bakassi peninsula that was ceded to Cameroon.
A Google map of the area where Ikang River emptied into the sea equally shows a thick dark line along the river into the Ocean . The thick dark line serves as the maritime boundary between Nigeria and Cameroon.
It is fact that from Goldie creek eastward of the point where the Cross River estuary emptied into the sea to Esuk Mba where the Kwa River emptied into same sea to Esuk Mbat, Essighi, Akpangkanya, and Dayspring where Ikang River emptied into same sea, are all sea shore/maritime communities within Cross River territory.
It is therefore important to note that the coastal/shoreline along the stretch of this area gives Cross River State direct access into the sea/Atlantic Ocean within the Gulf of Guinea.
The ceded Bakassi peninsula is only a part and not the whole of the Cross River maritime/coastal line.
Nigeria’s maritime boundary with Cameroon is in Cross River territory and not Akwa Ibom.
Cross River is therefore still a littoral State. See Google map to buttress my facts.
Samuel Ojobe Bassey Writes from Nkakat Ikot Akriba, Esuk Mba in Ikot Edem Odo Ward, Akpabuyo LGA, CRS.
