NIGERIA WILL BEGIN TO WITHDRAW FROM THE DISPUTED OIL-RICH BAKASSI PENINSULA THIS WEEKEND, OUTGOING CHIEF OF DEFENCE STAFF, GENERAL MARTIN-LUTHER AGWAI, SAID THURSDAY, ACCORDING TO DPA. HE SAID THE WITHDRAWAL WOULD BEGIN WITH THE REDEPLOYMENT OF "NON- ESSENTIAL ELEMENTS" OF THE NIGERIA ARMED FORCES AND END IN AUGUST WHEN NAVY PERSONNEL WOULD BE PULLED OUT OF THE AREA. THE OIL-RICH PENINSULA, LYING IN THE MARITIME BORDER BETWEEN NIGERIA AND CAMEROON, WAS CEDED TO THE LATTER VIA A RULING OF THE INTERNATIONAL COURT OF JUSTICE IN THE HAGUE IN OCTOBER 2002. "EVEN IF WE CONTINUE TO FIGHT AND DIE IN BAKASSI, WE MUST AT THE END OF IT GIVE BAKASSI TO CAMEROON BECAUSE THE INTERNATIONAL COURT IN THE HAGUE HAS RULED THAT BAKASSI BELONGS TO CAMEROON," AGWAI TOLD THE NIGERIAN ARMY'S 3RD ARMOURED BRIGADE IN HIS FAREWELL ADDRESS.
