NBC Moves to Physically Demarcate Edo–Kogi Boundary

The National Boundary Commission (NBC) has commenced steps to physically demarcate the boundary between Edo State and Kogi State.

The director-general of the commission, Mr Adamu Adajo, disclosed this in Abuja during a joint meeting of officials on the Edo–Kogi interstate boundary.

Adajo explained that the meeting was convened to assess progress made so far and identify obstacles hindering the execution of fieldwork. He said this would enable stakeholders to chart a clear path toward a boundary demarcation that would be easily identifiable by border communities.

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According to him, the boundary will be marked with primary and intermediate pillars placed at intervals of two kilometers and 200 metres, respectively.

“Our conservative estimate puts the required primary pillars at about 100, while the intermediate ones are about 900,” he said.

Adajo stressed that maintaining a peaceful boundary regime requires collaboration among federal, state, and local governments. He expressed optimism that the meeting would produce far-reaching recommendations to fast-track the final demarcation process.

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“The Federal Government, through the NBC, is desirous of concluding all activities on the Edo/Kogi interstate boundary. All efforts will be made to demarcate the boundary as soon as possible,” he said, adding that the commission may seek support from the states due to limited funding.

He noted that the Edo–Kogi boundary traces back to the former Northern and Western regions as described in Legal Notice 126 of 1954. The major challenge, he said, has been the correct interpretation of the boundary’s description.

Adajo recalled that previous interventions included joint and technical meetings, with the last joint session held in Benin City in September 2011. The boundary was later physically traced and provisionally demarcated, after which officials reviewed and recommended its alignment.

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He added that the Internal Boundaries Technical Committee met on Feb. 28 to deliberate on the fieldwork report and subsequently approved the recommended alignment.

The director-general identified key challenges affecting boundary definition, including inadequate sensitisation by states, interference by some elites and traditional institutions, insufficient funding, misconceptions about boundaries, and disputes over natural resources along border areas.

He appealed to both states, traditional rulers and other stakeholders to maintain peace and cooperation to facilitate the exercise.

In his remarks, Edo Deputy Governor Mr Dennis Idahosa, who chairs the state’s Boundary Committee, commended the NBC’s intervention and pledged the state’s support for successful demarcation.

Similarly, Kogi Deputy Governor Mr Joel Salifu lauded the commission’s efforts and called for the establishment of an inclusive demarcation team involving representatives of traditional institutions and other stakeholders to ensure smooth execution of the process.