Business Forum Defends Cross River State's Littoral Status and Offshore Oil Claims

The Cross River State Businessmen’s Forum has formally rejected the description of Cross River State as a landlocked state, arguing it remains a littoral state with access to the Atlantic Ocean. The group issued this statement in response to the Senate President’s comments, calling the description geographically inaccurate and economically dangerous. The Forum cited the presence of the Eastern Naval Command of the Nigerian Navy in Calabar and the proposed Bakassi Deep Seaport as evidence of the state’s strategic maritime importance.

The debate centers on the state’s claim to offshore oil resources and associated derivation revenue. The Forum argued that the state’s maritime connection could not be determined by political considerations but required scientific, geographical, and legal evidence. This push seeks to validate the state’s status as a littoral entity involved in resource management.