NBC hails Bauchi, Yobe on peaceful resolution of border conflicts 

The National Boundary Commission (NBC) has lauded the governments of Bauchi and Yobe as well as respective border communities in the two states for ensuring a peaceful resolution of their boundary issues.

The commission’s Director General, Surveyor Adamu Adaji, stated Tuesday at the presentation of the technical report by the committee set up to examine and proffer solutions to the observed grey areas in the 170 kilometres boundary lines between both states.

He recalled that the only differences noted in the November 2018 joint meeting and the subsequent technical report presented to the commission were in respect of six grey areas which the border communities had raised objections to, a development that led the commission to refer the matter to the respective emirate councils to consider and make recommendations on.

However, he said the councils after deliberations, opted to concede the prerogative to the Commission, noting that throughout the processes of the ground to paper tracing, the respective governments and the border communities involved cooperated immensely to ensure a successful exercise.

“Let me especially express appreciation to the governments and the good people of the two states for the interest and cooperation extended to the commission in our quest to clearly define the Bauchi/Yobe interstate boundary.

“The intervention of this boundary dates back to the period when the about 40km long Fika/Daraza sector was disputed and the then military administrators of the two states had to address it and the result was the BABO Accord of 1986. To achieve that amicable settlement, the governments of the two states had to apply the ground to paper approach and also imbibed the spirit of give and take along with the border communities”, he said.

Further, he said though the remaining 130 km sector of the boundary had been traced and provisionally demarcated but the states differed on six sectors encompassing some settlements. According to him, both states had resolved that the commission should address the issue dispassionately with a view to finding lasting solutions.

Meanwhile, the deputy governor of Bauchi state and the chairman of the Bauchi state Boundary Commission, Senator Baba Tela, praised the NBC for organising the meeting to strategize on the modalities to be adopted for the final demarcation of the boundary.