The governor of Ebonyi State, chief David Umahi on Friday tasked the National Boundary Commission, NBC, for their inability to put a permanent demarcation to end the lingering boundary crisis rocking many states of the federation.
Umahi who spoke through the Commissioner for Border, Peace and Internal Security, Hon. Kenneth Ugbala said the NBC is a toothless bulldog especially in their inability to demarcate the disputed land between the people of Igbeagu in Izzi local government area of Ebonyi state and Ukele community in Yala local government area of Cross River State.
Recall that, the Commission had visited both Ebonyi and Cross River states at the heat of the crisis and even invited the affected communities for dialogue in Abuja, yet it has not been forthcoming towards demarcating the troubled area.
Ugbala argued that assuming the NBC and the Federal government had demarcated the disputed land as at when due, there wouldn’t have been unwarranted records of deaths and destruction of properties from both sides of the States.
“Some times we doubt the sincerity of the federal government to ensure that the lingering boundary crisis in the border areas not only in Ebonyi is permanently demarcated.
“Most times, we look at the NBC particularly as a toothless bulldog because a lot of things have happened in that area even before the inception of this administration.” He stated
The Commissioner who stated that the Governor received news of the killings in the area with shock and unhappiness called on the Police and Army to improve on their deployment strategies so as to immediately nip the crisis in the bud.
According to him, all stakeholders including the State Auditor-General, the State Director of Fadama, Councillors and other elected personalities from Igbeagu community are hereby suspended indefinitely until there is peace in the area.
“No land is more important than the lives of the people. They should take a decision so that the crisis will end,” he added.
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