NBC seeks support of state governments to address border disputes

By Samuel Luka, Bauchi

The Nigeria’s National Boundary Commission (NBC) has solicited the support of the state governments towards the Commission’s constitutional mandate to enable it ensure a peaceful and prosperous
borders across the country.

Director General of the Commission, Surveyor Adamu Adaji made the call in an opening address during a two-day Sensitization Workshop for Boundary Managers at the government house Bauchi Wednesday.

Surv. Adaji who explained that the program was aimed at sensitizing the participants on the challenges and prospects of boundary management in Nigeria, urged state governments to support the work of the Commission towards establishing a peaceful and prosperous borders.

The DG stressed that the workshop aims to bring together, managers of boundary affairs and other relevant stakeholders to a dialogue and collaboration among neighboring states along internal boundaries of the country to fast-track peaceful resolution of boundary disputes.

He also disclosed that the program was meant to serve as an atmosphere to share experiences and best practices in boundary management as well as sensitize States and the affected communities on the importance of synergy in boundary management business.

The DG while appreciating Governor Bala Mohammed and the entire people of Bauchi state for the warm reception, pointed out that non-clarity of boundaries between the constituents states of the country has become a source of disputes.

He lamented that the differences in the claims and counterclaims that characterizes the perceptions of the boundary alignment has in some cases led to volatile agitations that often degenerate into crisis.

Surv. Adaji further observed that inadequacy of delimitation instruments, lack of proper sensitization by States, activities of elites/traditional institutions, wrong perception of boundaries formed part of the challenges of solving boundary disputes, enjoined Governors to establish state and local government boundary committees to aid speedy resolution of disputes.

According to him, other challenges relates to ownership/control of resources such as farm lands, water, game reserves, solid minerals and hydrocarbon resources along
the border corridors, noted that such disputes has attendant consequences for socio-economic unrest.

Surv. Adaji who observed that the inability to complete demarcation of boundaries has bean a source of concern for the Federal Government and the states, called for a paradigm shifts in addressing the challenges, which he said, is imperative for Nigeria’s collective national security and
development.

The DG who also revealed that Bauchi which shares interstate boundaries with seven other sister states, noted that the state has in close collaboration with some of the neighboring States, took proactive steps in the past to amicably resolve differences of claims in sectors of their common boundaries.

He hinted that the National Boundary Commission is now advancing new mechanisms
that would not only aid the resolution of boundary disputes in Nigeria but also transform border areas from zones of confrontation and barriers of separation to Zones of exchange and bridges of cooperation.

Surv. Adaji said the concept of cross border cooperation mainly applicable along the international boundaries is to be replicated in the management of Nigeria’s interstate boundaries because of its immense benefits.