The National Boundary Commission (NBC) has just concluded a two-day sensitization workshop in Bauchi.
The workshop themed: “Towards A Peaceful and Prosperous Borders” focused on addressing boundary disputes and strengthening cooperation among Nigerian states.
The event brought together boundary managers, government officials, and key stakeholders including traditional rulers to discuss challenges and opportunities in Nigeria’s boundary management.
The workshop which was attended by deputy governors of Bauchi, Gombe, Taraba and their representatives from Plateau, Jigawa, and Yobe states, was officially declared opened by the Host Deputy Governor His Excellency, Rt. Hon. Mohammed Auwal Jatau, who represented the Executive Governor, Senator Bala Abdulkadir Mohammed.
He praised the NBC’s ongoing efforts to foster peace and understanding among neighbouring communities, urging open dialogue and collaboration.
NBC’S Director-General Surveyor Adamu A. Adaji delivered an overview of Nigeria’s boundary challenges, citing issues such as inadequate delimitation instruments, elite influence, and disputes over resources like farmland and minerals.
Emphasizing the workshop objectives, Adaji expressed the necessity of transiting from seeing boundaries as sources of conflict to opportunities for cooperation.
According to him, “our goal is to transform border zones from zones of conflict to bridges of cooperation”
He therefore stressed the need for a shift in boundary management, advocating cross-border cooperation to transform boundary areas from zones of conflict into bridges of cooperation.
Adaji commended Bauchi State’s history of proactive dispute resolution and referenced historic accords between Bauchi and its neighbours, which have fostered peaceful coexistence.
In the course of the event, several presentations were made to stimulate discussions on effective boundary management.
Former Director-General of the Commission Dr. M.B. Ahmed addressed resource management across borders, proposing joint resource utilization to reduce tensions.
In her presentation, Barr. Mrs. Amina Nyako, Director of Research & Policy Analysis at the NBC, highlighted the importance of ethnographic studies in resolving boundary disputes. She explained how these studies, which examine cultural dynamics in border areas, have successfully clarified boundaries, notably in the Delta/Ondo interstate and Share/Tsaragi boundaries in Kwara State.
Dr. Emmanuel Bulus, NBC’s Director of Internal Boundaries, introduced the “ground-to-paper” approach, which emphasizes thorough field investigations and local community involvement to resolve disputes effectively.
Additionally, the role of traditional leaders was highlighted, recognizing their influence in promoting peace at the grassroots level.
The workshop’s resolutions emphasized the formation of local boundary committees to accelerate dispute resolution and border demarcation.
Participants also called for timely implementation of agreements to prevent escalation, increased government funding for NBC activities, and regular sensitization workshops to promote cooperation among boundary managers.
The Deputy Governor of Gombe State Manasseh Daniel Jatau Ph.D on behalf of his colleagues, lauded NBC’s commitment to resolving boundary disputes involving states, stressing the importance of harmonious coexistence.
Through this workshop, the NBC has once again reaffirmed its commitment to transforming boundary management in Nigeria.
The event underscored the importance of cooperation and proactive efforts in building peaceful and stable relations across Nigeria’s internal borders, and the NBC called on stakeholders to support its vision for peaceful and prosperous borders across the nation.
Efe Ovuakporie
Head Information and Public Relations Unit
