Commission begins work on Benue, Ebonyi boundary demarcation

The National Boundary Commission (NBC) has begun preliminary work on demarcation of boundaries to end the protracted dispute between the people of Ngbo in Ohaukwu Council of Ebonyi State and their Agila neighbours in Ado Council of Benue State.

Members of the commission had, during its meeting in September, taken far-reaching decisions on the matter, with a view to ending the reported killings in the area, including a programme to aid the demarcation of the disputed boundaries of the two states.

The meeting, chaired by Vice President Yemi Osinbajo had Governor of Benue State, Samuel Ortom, and Deputy Governor of Ebonyi State, Kelechi Igwe, in attendance.

It had directed the NBC to work with the states to provide the necessary logistics and security for the demarcation exercise.

Acting Director-General of NBC, Adamu Adaji, who spoke with State House correspondents after the 10th Board Meeting of the commission yesterday, said panel members were poised to follow the directive religiously.

“The last meeting between the vice president and governors of the two states directed that we should resume the demarcation that was stalled for many years now and we have started action accordingly.

“We have met at technical level to identify the number of beacons as permanent markers that are required and what we need to do preparatory to the field work. We have come out with a programme. We will discuss with the states at a joint meeting of officials that will be scheduled very soon,” he said.

Adaji further explained that the commission had planned to carry out a complete ethnographic survey along the boundary communities in Ebonyi and Cross River states to also resolve the dispute between the two states.

He said the commission, at the last meeting, agreed on some measures to be taken to resolve the dispute.

“We are in contact with the states to ensure that agreements are adhered with. We have also agreed that a monitoring team of security personnel will be constituted to ensure peaceful co-existence while we try to define the boundaries.”