Nasarawa cries out over boundary demarcations with Benue, FCT, others

The Nasarawa state government has appealed to the National Boundary Commission (NBC) to stem the tide of spiralling conflicts between the state and her neighbours by completing many pending boundary demarcation cases.

The state deputy governor, Dr Emmanuel Akpabe, said the many inconclusive boundary demarcations pending especially those involving the state and Benue are sore points in their relationship.

The deputy governor, who spoke at a recent interactive session organised by the NBC for North-central states boundary committees, assured the NBC officials of adequate security whenever they come for the exercise.

Dr Akpabe urged the NBC to step up the processes required to complete the demarcation of the boundaries between them, stressing that the delay in the exercise has tended to engender unnecessary rancour among those living within the boundary corridors.

He said some of the inconclusive exercises were started before 2000 but were abandoned in 2006 largely due to some level of security challenges and other issues.

“We appeal to the NBC to intervene in ensuring peaceful cohabitation between us and our neighbours by expediting efforts to complete the inconclusive boundary demarcations initiative.

“We have therefore, invited the NBC to come forward and start the processes needed to complete the exercise some of which were discontinued more than 14 years ago.

“Nasarawa state is particularly worried because the many inconclusive boundary demarcations between us and our neighbours have become sore points in our relationship”, he said stressing that some of the most painful cases involved Benue and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).