Abuja: The National Boundary Commission (NBC) has advised internal and international border communities to see boundaries not as barriers but as bridges of cooperation. The NBC Director-General, Mr. Adamu Adaji, gave the advice on Friday in Abuja while assessing the impact of President Bola Tinubu’s administration after two years in office.
According to News Agency of Nigeria, Adaji emphasized that the people of border communities were placed there by geography and have co-existed as neighbors and friends for a long time. He noted the shared cultural, historical, and socio-economic ties among these communities and urged them not to let boundary politics or policies create conflict or division.
Adaji highlighted the distinction between traditional and administrative boundaries, explaining that traditional boundaries might extend beyond administrative ones due to ethnic considerations. Administrative boundaries, as defined by the Federal Government, are meant for governance and jurisdictional purposes.
He further appealed to border communities to resist the influence of elites who might foment discord, urging a humane perspective on boundary issues. “I bleed each time I hear of any crisis that leads to loss of life because of one community fighting another community over boundary disagreement,” Adaji lamented, stressing the futility of conflict over land disputes.
Adaji identified elite manipulation as a significant challenge in boundary management and called for cooperation with the boundary commission to ensure well-defined boundaries. The emphasis was on peaceful coexistence, acknowledging the long-standing intermarriage and interaction among these communities.