Akwa Ibom State Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice, Uko Udom SAN, has refuted media reports suggesting that the 76 wells legally owned by the state may be returned to Cross River State. The Attorney General insisted that nothing has been ceded, clarifying the state's position following reports about the Revenue Mobilisation and Fiscal Commission's review.

The reports suggested that Cross River State might be re-listed as an oil-producing state after the Revenue Mobilisation and Fiscal Commission received the final report of the Federal Government’s Inter-Agency Committee on oil-producing states. The committee’s mandate was to determine, scientifically, the precise location of oil and gas assets within Nigeria's onshore and offshore boundaries.

Speaking during a media interaction at the Government House Conference Hall on Monday, February 16, 2026, the commissioner stated that the state had reviewed the report and restated the facts to prevent misinformation. Udom, accompanied by other commissioners including legal luminary Paul Usoro SAN, clarified that the Commission publicly stated that what it received on February 13, 2026, is a draft report, not a decision, approved recommendation, or reallocation of oil wells. The Commission described the circulating claims as speculative and not reflective of any final position.

“Akwa Ibom State Government has carefully reviewed recent media reports suggesting that oil wells attributed to Akwa Ibom State may be ‘returned’ to Cross River State following the submission of a ‘report’ by a Federal Government Inter-Agency Committee to the Revenue Mobilisation Allocation and Fiscal Commission.

“Firstly, the Revenue Mobilisation Allocation and Fiscal Commission has publicly clarified that what it received on 13th February 2026 is a draft report — not a decision, not an approved recommendation, and certainly not a reallocation of oil wells. The Commission has described the circulating claims as speculative and not reflective of any final position,” Udom stated.

Udom stressed that the Supreme Court has dismissed Cross River’s claim over the estuarine southern territory, where all the oil wells are situated.

“The Court made it clear that the October 10, 2002 judgment of the International Court of Justice on the land and maritime boundary between Nigeria and Cameroon had fundamentally altered Cross River State’s coastal status. The Court held that the ICJ decision effectively eliminated Cross River’s estuarine sector, with the legal implication that Cross River no longer possessed a seaward boundary.

“Subsequently, despite Akwa Ibom State’s efforts to promote peaceful engagement and preserve kinship and harmony, further litigation was initiated by Cross River State seeking clarification on offshore entitlements.

“On 10th July 2012, the Supreme Court again ruled decisively in favour of Akwa Ibom State, holding that: Cross River State was no longer a littoral state entitled to offshore derivation; its case was founded on a legally unsustainable assumption; and Akwa Ibom State’s entitlement to the oil wells was fully recognised.”

He added that no inter-agency committee, technical panel, or institutional process can alter, amend, reinterpret, or sit in appeal over a judgment of the Supreme Court, stressing that any action inconsistent with a subsisting judgment of the apex court would be unconstitutional, null, and void.