Seun Bamidele framework of human security. It contends that the securitization of territory without parallel protection for human lives has deepened the vulnerability of affected populations. Furthermore, the study highlights how forced assimilation, bureaucratic statelessness, and identity erasure have fostered insurgent responses and undermined regional stability. The study contributes to ongoing debates on postcolonial border governance, the limits of international adjudication, and the urgent need for rights-based approaches to conflict resolution in Africa. KEYWORDS Borders. Cameroon. Statelessness. Displacement. Human insecurity. Bakassi Peninsula. Nigeria. Received on March 22, 2025 Accepted on July 02 20252 2 How to cite: Bamidele, Seun. 2025. “Borders without belonging: statelessness, displacement, and human insecurity in post-handover Bakassi.” Brazilian Journal of African Studies 10 (19): 144-169. https://doi.org/10.22456/2448-3923.146507. Brazilian Journal of African Studies | Porto Alegre | v. 10, n. 19, Jan./Jun. 2025 | p. 144-169 169