Abuja: The National Boundary Commission (NBC) has announced the commencement of boundary demarcation for interstate boundaries that were resolved and defined in the past two years.
According to News Agency of Nigeria, the Director-General of the commission, Mr. Adamu Adaji, highlighted the progress during an assessment of President Bola Tinubu’s administration after two years in office. Adaji attributed the achievements to the support from the Tinubu-led administration over the last two years.
Adaji explained that the demarcation process is crucial for the recognition and resolution of boundary disputes. He mentioned that the Katsina-Jigawa boundary has been demarcated, and work has begun on the Ebuen boundary between Edo and Enugu States, along with other boundary exercises. Additionally, substantial progress has been made on the boundaries of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) and its neighboring areas.
The commission has also made strides in resolving certain aspects of internal boundaries requiring intervention. Adaji assured that the commission would persist with the demarcation efforts. He noted that prior focus was mainly on resolving contested boundaries, with minimal emphasis on demarcation, which sometimes led to encroachments due to non-demarcated boundaries.
To address these issues, Adaji emphasized the importance of demarcating boundaries as they are resolved, rather than waiting for entire boundaries to be defined. He acknowledged the challenge posed by the lack of political will from some local governments, states, and neighboring countries, which affects demarcation efforts.
Nonetheless, Adaji affirmed that the Tinubu administration has empowered the commission to enhance its impact in resolving and demarcating disputed boundaries.