The National Boundary Commission (NBC) has reaffirmed its commitment to fostering peaceful coexistence among communities along Nigeria’s internal and international borders.
NBC Director-General, Mr Adamu Adaji, stated this on Friday in Abuja while reflecting on the impact of President Bola Tinubu’s administration after two years in office.
Adaji said the initiative aligns with the commission’s mandate to encourage harmonious living and socio-economic cooperation among border communities.
Speaking in an interview, he explained that the commission has been raising awareness to promote cross-border cooperation for mutual benefit.
He added that the NBC had also established a platform to facilitate engagement between border states and local governments, with the aim of improving collaboration on security and intelligence sharing.
“Recently, we held a programme in Benin Republic, where we examined the ethnic composition along the entire Nigeria–Benin border.
“Most of these boundaries are artificial, dividing homogenous communities. People on both sides Nigeria and Benin are essentially the same, and we are encouraging them to harness their shared cultural and social ties for cooperation.”
Adaji noted that the commission is also working to strengthen ties with Cameroon, where border lines split religious communities.
He said a needs assessment had been conducted to identify shared resources that could be jointly utilised, with the ultimate goal of encouraging mutual cooperation and unity.
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The NBC, he said, is focused on fostering integration and building trust among residents of border communities to enhance intelligence gathering, cultural exchange, and security.
Contrary to common misconceptions that cross-border cooperation leads to insecurity, Adaji stressed that such collaboration actually supports intelligence sharing when communities recognise their interconnectedness.
“If people understand that what affects one side also affects the other, they are more likely to work together for the common good,” he said.
He acknowledged that traditional and ethnic views of boundaries often pose challenges but maintained that the NBC continues to sensitise communities to see boundaries as administrative lines rather than cultural divisions.
Adaji also warned that the lack of clearly defined and demarcated boundaries remains a serious security concern. He assured that the commission is working to ensure that all resolved boundary lines are properly delineated and marked.
