Nigeria’s Vice President, Prof. Yemi Osinbajo has said that the Nigerian Government will explore ideas on how relevant agencies can collaborate and coordinate effectively to deal with smuggling activities along the borders of Nigeria and its neighboring countries.
He said this during a briefing he received from the National Boundary Commission lately, indicating that the Commission, the Nigeria Customs and the Immigration authorities would work together to tackle the problem of smuggling. He added that it would be useful in identifying actual points where smuggling takes place.
Yemi Osibanjo, who is also the chairman of the commission’s board appreciated the work and the detailed presentation of the commission, expressing the desire to see more collaboration among relevant government agencies. He further called for a plan in that direction.
During his briefing, M. B Ahmad said that the National Boundary Commission functions include – intervening and dealing with boundary disputes that may arise between Nigeria and her neighbours with a view to settling it. He explained that the commission also intervenes, determines and deals with boundary disputes that may arise among states, local government areas or communities in the federation.
According to him, the commission is in-charge of the Nigeria-Niger Joint Commission (NNJC); Nigeria-Benin Joint Commission (NBJC); Nigeria-Benin Joint Technical Committee on Delimitation; the Cameroon-Nigeria Mixed Commission (CNMC); Lake Chad Basin Commission (LCBC) and the ECOWAS/Cross River Initiatives (CBI).
He also noted that the commission has intervened in many internal boundary disputes in the country, including states like Jigawa/Kano, Kaduna/Kano, Kaduna/Katsina, Kaduna/Plateau in the north and other areas in country. M. B Ahmad reverred that some of the challenges facing the commission include: fund, straddling settlements, re-establishment of destroyed/missing boundary pillars as well as demographic movements with the emergence of new settlements, among others.
[State House Press Report]
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