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Juliana Taiwo-Obalonye, Abuja
Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, yesterday, waded into the age-long boundary dispute between the people of Ngbo in Ohaukwu Local Government Area of Ebonyi and their neighbours in Agila, Ardo Local Government Area of Benue.
Members of the House of Representatives had last week Thursday, called on the Federal Government to establish a military barrack at the boundary between the two communities, saying it will help end the incessant communal clashes.
The lawmakers also urged the National Boundary Commission to identify and ascertain the actual boundary between these two states to bend the feud.
Speaking to State House Correspondents at the end of the meeting with the Vice President, Benue State Governor Ortom, said the meeting which had the acting Director General, National boundary Commission took far reaching decisions to ensure that the boundary is demarcate between the two states so as to end the perennial disputes.
“It is now its difficult to identify the criminal elements who are creating tension and creating these problems,” Ortom said.
“It is a border crisis because we are talking about two states. We should know the limits of each states. I believe that very soon the boundary commission would come out with a programme that Benue and Ebonyi will team up to provide necessary logistics and security to ensure that the boundary is demarcated,” Ortom, said.
On Tiv/Jukun crisis in Taraba, Ortom said Governor Darius Ishiaku was handling the matter well.
Said Ortom: “Recently, they met and they agreed that there should be ceasefire. I think the steps the governor took by inviting two sides, both the Tiv and Jukum to sit together and find means how they can resolve this matter is the best approach. I believe once that problem is sorted out in Taraba we will not have anything in Benue state.”
Ortom said it was wrong to create the impression that the Tivs and Jukum were at war. “We are not fighting. There were issues in the past and I decided to set up a judicial commission of enquiry which is still sitting to look at the remote and immediate causes of this strife so that we will find a lasting solution to it.
“This other one is more of a problem in Taraba, but there are Tiv people in Benue and we are talking about Tiv people, so each time people are displaced, some run back to Benue so that’s the spirit behind it. But I think that the governor of Taraba state is doing well.”
