The National Boundary Commission in partnership with the Borno State Boundary Committee has held a one-day Program for the creation of a platform for Local Border Authorities in the North-East Border States of Nigeria in a bid to stem security challenges and ensure economic cooperation and integration of the African Continent.
The Commission’s Head of Information Unit, Efe Ovuakporie, disclosed this in a press release made available to journalists in Abuja, Nigeria’s Capital.
The Director General of the National Boundary Commission, Mr Adamu Adaji who was represented by the Acting Director, International Boundaries Department, Hauwa Abdul-Ismail, noted that the situation of not policing the nation’s land borders and maritime boundaries informed the decision of both the African Union and the Economic Community of West African States to engage the services of the Regional and Local authorities who are the main gateways to providing effective border policing.
He urged the various Chairmen and the Traditional Rulers to engage their counterparts in the neighbouring countries, adding that it would help cross-border development initiatives in proffering on-the-spot solutions to some of the security challenges plaguing the nation as well as strengthen opportunities for cross-border economic development.
“The platform will be replicated across all frontiers of Nigeria to serve as a veritable platform in translating decisions of the Border Governors Forum into concrete actions and also serve as a vehicle for regular engagement of our local authorities and Traditional institutions and the proximate countries.”
The Director-General charged participants to be purveyors of peace in their respective domain stressing that border communities are crucial to ensuring a sustainable peaceful relationship with their neighbors.
“During the 4th Conference of African Ministers responsible for Border management which was held in October 2016 in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, it was unanimously agreed that Africa’s peace and security are directly intertwined with good border governance and the attainment of sustainable developments in the borderlands.
“Border State Governments and Border Local Governments that are far from national capitals have a critical role to play because of their proximity to the borders and borderlands.“
The Deputy Governor of Borno State and Chairman of the State Boundary Committee, Umar Kadafur represented by the Deputy Chairman of Borno State Boundary Committee, Pogu Lawan, explained that the creation of the platform was an indication of the Federal Government’s commitment to sustain synergy among critical stakeholders and execute projects that would improve the standards of living amongst border communities’ dwellers.
Mr Kadafur expressed optimism that “Nigeria will be able to stem the menace of transborder insecurity and also open the window of opportunities for economic cooperation as well as attain joint venture development between our neighbouring countries.”
He called on all government bodies responsible for Border Management at the Federal and State levels to make concerted efforts towards achieving this objective.
The Executive Secretary of the Border Communities Development Agency, Captain Junaid Abdullahi, lauded the National Boundary Commission for working towards implementing the African Union Border Governance Strategy.
Borno State has the longest Boundary in Nigeria, covering a distance of over nine hundred kilometers spanning across three countries, states and nine local government areas.
PIAK
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