154 Borders without belonging: statelessness, displacement, and human insecurity in post-han- powerment. Many displaced persons remain in poorly resourced settlements in Nigeria’s Cross River and Akwa Ibom States, where they endure harsh living conditions and institutional neglect (Unah 2021; Oghuvbu and Okolie 2020). Those who stayed behind in Cameroon, especially in areas like Idabato and Kombo Abedimo, report being subjected to discriminatory taxation, denial of identity documents, and exclusion from political participation (BBC 2013; Macdonald 2024). Statelessness in Bakassi thus represents a multidimensional crisis rooted in historical injustice, legal oversight, and institutional apathy. This crisis is emblematic of a broader failure in international law and diplomacy to account for the lived experiences of people displaced by legalistic statecraft. As Hussain (2023) notes, the situation in Bakassi is not an isolated incident but part of a pattern where international adjudications though procedurally sound neglect the human rights imperatives of affected populations. The emphasis on territorial integrity and diplomatic resolution eclipses questions of justice, inclusion, and democratic agency. Without targeted interventions such as inclusive citizenship reforms, robust legal aid, and transitional justice mechanisms the legacies of colonial cartography and statelessness in Bakassi will continue to undermine regional stability and human security in the Gulf of Guinea region (Hart 2022; LeFebvre 2014; Ngalim 2019). Displacement, Dispossession, and Institutional Abandonment The transfer of authority over the Bakassi Peninsula from Nigeria to Cameroon following the 2006 Greentree Agreement led to the displacement of thousands of Nigerians, who were hastily relocated to resettlement sites in Akwa Ibom and Cross River States (Unah 2021; Ebolo 2022). These relocation initiatives, driven more by diplomatic symbolism than genuine resettlement planning, were marred by poor coordination, underfunding, and administrative neglect (Ezeilo 2010; Akhere 2023). Many displaced persons were forced into overcrowded and underserved camps, such as those in Ikang and Atabong, lacking basic social amenities, healthcare, and education facilities (Sheikh et al. 2016; Macdonald 2024). The conditions of these camps did not meet minimum humanitarian standards, and residents remained in legal limbo, with no guarantee of sustainable reintegration or economic empowerment. These post-displacement conditions exemplify what scholars and human rights observers term institutional abandonment. Despite promises of compensation, rehabilitation, and reintegration made by Nigerian authorities Brazilian Journal of African Studies | Porto Alegre | v. 10, n. 19, Jan./Jun. 2025 | p. 144-169