THE President, Major General Muhammadu Buhari (retd.), on Tuesday in Abuja, said Nigeria’s bid to expand its maritime territory, under the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea, was on course and would be achieved without ‘‘war, litigation, or purchase.’’
A statement signed on Tuesday by the Special Adviser to the President on Media and Publicity, Femi Adesina, quoted Buhari as saying, “It is pleasing to know that most wars that have taken place in the world since time immemorial including present times have always been territorial, and Nigeria has this one and only chance to gain territory without war, litigation, or purchase.
“I am looking forward to the day that I can announce to Nigerians that additional maritime territory has been approved for Nigeria by the UNCLOS.”
Buhari spoke when he received a progress report from the High-Powered Presidential Committee on Nigeria’s Extended Continental Shelf Project.
The statement, titled ‘President Buhari receives extended continental shelf project report’, said Nigeria’s bid to expand maritime territory would be achieved without war or litigation.
He said, ‘‘I have always had a special interest in this project right from the first day I heard of it, because this type of project where Nigeria will gain additional territory without conflict has never happened before in her lifetime.
‘‘I am therefore glad that it is happening within our lifetime. This is one of the many reasons I have been ardently following your progress over time. It is my intention to support the submission to the United Nations for the additional maritime area, in accordance with the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea to claim for Nigeria every bit of space that she deserves under UNCLOS.”
The President assured the Committee, chaired by the Minister of Justice and Attorney-General of the Federation, Abubakar Malami, of his full support on Nigeria’s submission to the United Nations for the additional maritime area, under the recognised international convention.
In his remarks, Malami thanked the President for his strong support to the project, noting that it was dormant for more than 30 months before the president rescued it.
