The Akwa Ibom State Government has rejected reports that oil wells belonging to the state may be returned to Cross River State, describing the claims as misleading and speculative.
The Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice, Uko Udom, said the reports were based on a draft document and not any final decision by the Revenue Mobilisation Allocation and Fiscal Commission.
He explained that, “what was received on 13 February 2026 is a draft report — not a decision, not an approved recommendation, and certainly not a reallocation of oil wells.”
Udom said the matter had already been settled by the Supreme Court, which ruled in favour of Akwa Ibom State on the oil wells dispute. He recalled that in 2005, the court dismissed Cross River’s claim over the estuarine southern territory where the oil wells are located.
He added that the Supreme Court again ruled in 2012 that Cross River State was no longer a coastal state entitled to offshore oil revenue. According to him, “the legal position therefore stands firmly established.”
The Attorney General stressed that Supreme Court judgments are final and cannot be changed by any committee or government agency. He said, “no inter-agency committee, no technical panel, and no institutional process can alter, amend, reinterpret, or sit in appeal over a judgment of the Supreme Court.”
He also insisted that all the oil wells are within Akwa Ibom’s recognised maritime boundaries and were allocated based on legal and geographic data. “No oil well has been ceded. No Supreme Court judgment has been overturned. No constitutional provision has been amended,” he said.
Udom assured residents that the state government is committed to protecting its resources and economic interests. He said, “your Government is vigilant, engaged, and fully committed to protecting the economic interests of our State.”
He urged citizens to remain calm and united, adding, “the foundation of our position is law, and the shield of our rights is the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.”
