Gombe, Bauchi reach agreement over lingering boundary dispute
The Gombe and Bauchi States Boundary Committees have reached resolution to ensure boundaries between the two states are demarcated amicably to maintain the long term existing relationships.
The agreement was reached at a meeting, convened in Abuja Federal Capital Territory at the instance of the National Boundary Commission, the umpire presiding over boundary definitions, delineation and demarcation.
According to a press statement by Jack Tasha, Senior Special Assistant to the Gombe Deputy Governor, Manassah Jatau, the committees expressed the readiness to continue with the demarcation exercise.
Jatau urged the committees to identify the issues that led to the suspension of the pillar emplacement exercise.
He also called for honesty in their decision as the meeting is crucial because the decision would impact positively or negatively on the citizens along the disputed areas.
While questioning the reason for the demarcation of Ganjuwa, Jatau noted that it should be pending.
Jatau said” based on the strength, support and desire of the Governors, the National Boundary Commission had a sensitization workshop in Gombe,not long after, the permanent embarkment of pillars started…interstate boundary demarcation between Gombe and Yobe was successfully done, subsequent upon that, interstate boundary demarcation, placement of pillars between Bauchi and Gombe States started with a flag off at Dukku.”
On his part, Deputy Governor of Bauchi State, Senator Baba Tela, commended efforts of the National Boundary Commission in the demarcation exercise.
He noted that the boundary is however still volatile as complaints are received frequently between Jurara Abbas/ Bawa Zego of Ganjuwa and Dukku LGA of Bauchi and Gombe States.
He lauded the role of Federal, States and Local Governments on boundary matters and promised his state’s support towards ensuring peaceful coexistence.
Earlier, the Director General, National Boundary Commission, Surv. Adamu Adaji, expressed gratitude to the two states for their support and commitment towards the definition of their common interstate boundary.
He noted that the pillar emplacement exercise was successfully completed in sector 1, while work on sector 2 of the boundary was stalled due to differences in the Jurara Abbas/ Bawa Zego area of the boundary, calling on the meeting to resolve the outstanding issues for work to be resumed.
In their submission, the Traditional Rulers advocated for peaceful resolution of the disputes and called on the Border Communities to maintain status quo by suspending all farming activities in the disputed areas so that peace will be maintained until final demarcation.
In a Communique issued at the end of the meeting read by the Director General,National Boundary Commission duely signed by him and the Deputy Governors of the two states, the meeting noted that the Bauchi-Gombe interstate boundary is relatively peaceful and that the demarcation exercise was stalled as a result of a rejection of the adoption of the median line in the Jurara Abbas/ Bawa Zego area in sector 2.
The meeting also noted that sector 1 which starts from the Bauchi/Gombe/Yobe tripartite point to BG39 of about 75KM consisting of 51 pillars has been successful, and that 11 pillars covering a total distance of 33km are required for demarcation in the disputed sector along river Gongola.
Also noted as commendable by the meeting was the effort of the Traditional Institution towards the successful completion of the demarcation exercise in sector 1 of the interstate boundary.
The meeting resolved that all relevant documents and records shall be articulated by the National Boundary Commission and forwarded to the states for their study and inputs not later than 15th November, 2021, and that the reaction and determination by the Chief Executives shall be communicated to the Boundary Commission not later than end of January, 2022.
The meeting also resolved that joint sensitization/ enlightenment campaign shall be undertaken by the states in the border communities on the need to maintain peace along the boundary sector, and that the states are urged to set up a security committee to ensure peace.
Part of the resolution include, the states should provide necessary logistics to the Traditional Rulers to enable them carry out effective sensitization at the grassroot level and,that the affected Communities in the Jurara Abbas/ Bawa Zego sector in line with the previous agreement should not carry out any activity in the sector until the boundary is demarcated.
