The National Boundary Commission (NBC) has called upon stakeholders in Cross River and Ebonyi states to collaborate in the ongoing efforts to demarcate the interstate boundary.

Addressing officials from both states in Abuja on Monday, Mr Adamu Adaji, the Director-General of the commission, made a plea for support to resolve the persistent interstate border dispute.

Adaji emphasized that the purpose of the joint meeting was to assess the current status of the boundary and to deliberate on the necessary steps for its defining and delimitation.

He pointed out that the interstate boundary issue between the states has been a longstanding issue spanning several years.

Furthermore, he highlighted that the border villages have been frequently engulfed in misunderstandings and turmoil due to the land dispute and indigenous settler duality.

Attributing the ongoing conflicts to the lack of determination and demarcation of the interstate boundary, Adaji described it as one of Nigeria’s problematic interstate boundaries with a high potential to disrupt peace.

The crisis on the boundary led to interventions by former President Olusegun Obasanjo and his vice, Mr Atiku Abubakar, at different times. Additionally, in 2005, the Federal Government deployed military personnel to the boundary sectors to maintain peace.