BY SUNDAY EGEDE
DELTA State Governor, Rt. Hon. (Elder) Sheriff Oborevwori, yesterday, said boundary disputes militate against peace, security and prosperity of communities.
He said so many lives have been lost to the crises associated with boundary disputes and called on the National Boundary Commission (NBC) and other stakeholders to work assiduously in resolving boundary conflicts among border communities in the country.
Governor Oborevwori disclosed this at a one-day workshop for the creation of platform for Nigeria’s coastal states and local government areas with the theme: “Towards a Secure, Peaceful and Prosperous Borders”, held at Unity Hall, Government House, Asaba.
The Governor, who noted that the theme for the workshop was very apt and timely, said that boundary dispute was an ancient and modern disease of humanity.
He added that right from the colonial days, Nigeria has been plagued by boundary disputes which, he said, has had disastrous and destabilizing consequences on the people.
“There is scarcely any state in Nigeria that has not been involved in boundary disputes with its neigbhours, often resulting in displacement, death and destruction. “Reports indicate that between January 2018 and August 2022, a total of 676 people were killed in various communal and boundary clashes in Nigeria.
“Often, the causes of these disputes are traceable to land ownership, community pride, ancient or colonial boundaries and socio-cultural factors.
“In Delta State, it is safe to say that at least 80 per cent of boundary disputes revolve around land use either for farming, mining and other purposes of economic significance.
“The resultant clashes often leave in their trail, a chunk of Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) with the implications this has for their safety and wellbeing. As we all know, the living conditions in IDP camps are unsalutary and inevitably constitute environmental hazards,” he added.
The Governor, therefore, charged the National Boundary Commission to work harder in resolving boundary disputes across the country.
“As the body responsible for resolving boundary disputes in Nigeria, the National Boundary Commission is critical to the peace, security and prosperity of our communities.
“It is incumbent on it to embark on enlightenment and sensitization programmes to educate the people on the importance of respecting boundaries.
“It (the NBC) must, also properly investigate cases of boundary disputes. In discharging this vital responsibility, officials of the Commission must demonstrate the highest levels of objectivity, neutrality and integrity to instill confidence and elicit the goodwill of the people.
“Conversations break down fast once there is a perception of favouritism or nepotism on the part of those who are supposed to be impartial arbiters.
“It goes without saying that an effective conflict resolution mechanism is critical for maintaining national security hence, there is need for strong political will on the part of the government to implement recommendations that will resolve disputes amicably and prevent future border disputes.
“With enhanced peace and security at the core of our MORE Agenda, we are committed to partnering with the Commission to discharge its functions effectively for a secure, peaceful and prosperous Nigeria.”
In his welcome remarks, Deputy Governor of Delta State, Sir Monday Onyeme (FCA) called for a proper look into good border governance and sustainable development that would invariably lead to meaningful development in border areas.
Onyeme, who is the Chairman of Delta State Boundary Commission, observed that the European colonisers arbitrarily, without due regards to the ethnic homogeneity of many African groups, forced them to belong to different nations, while diverse heterogeneous communities were hurriedly bundled into a single nation with distinct boundaries.
Onyeme said such hazardous creation had resulted to multiple crises such as armed banditry, human trafficking, terrorism, drugs and smuggling due to feelings of alienation from the central authority.
He expressed delight that the African Union Border Governance Strategy was looking into good border governance and the attainment of sustainable development, just as he urged the African Union to sustain the tempo to ensure the harmonisation of all grey areas along the boundary communities.
Deputy Governors of Bayelsa and Rivers States, Senator Lawrence Egwhrudjakpor and Professor Ngozi Odu, who also spoke at the ceremony called on relevant authorities to discuss boundary issues often in order to resolve all boundary disputes.
Also speaking, the Director- General of the National Boundaries Commission, Surveyor Adamu Adaji said the workshop was primarily designed to engage Nigeria’s coastal states and local government areas as well as the traditional rulers in effective border governance in Nigeria.
Surveyor Adaji disclosed that the workshop was a follow-up to the workshop on the African Union Integrated Border Governance and the maiden workshop that established a national consultative forum for constructive engagement, collaboration and effective coordination of border policies and programmes in Nigeria.
According to him, the workshop focused on promoting peace, security and economic prosperity of the border regions, adding that it (the workshop) couldn’t have come at a better time owing to the rising challenges of insecurity along the nation’s borders and the desire for economic cooperation and integration across the borders of the African Continent.
He said the National Boundary Commission organized similar workshops along the international land borders with Benin, Niger, Chad and Cameroon Republics, saying “it is important to stress that our collective desire for Nigeria’s security and economic prosperity as well as the well-being of our people cannot be over-emphasized.”
Traditional rulers from the South West and South South states among other stakeholders attended the one-day workshop.
