NBC reaffirms 2006 boundary framework, backs resumption of Edo/Kogi demarcation

The National Boundary Commission (NBC) has reaffirmed key technical and legal positions supporting Edo State’s push for the peaceful and lawful resolution of the long-standing Edo/Kogi interstate boundary dispute, paving the way for the resumption of the stalled monumentation exercise.

The reaffirmation meeting brought together representatives of Edo and Kogi states, alongside federal technical agencies, to review progress and chart a path toward concluding the demarcation process.

Leading the Edo State delegation, Dennis Idahosa, Deputy Governor of Edo State and Chairman of the Edo State Boundary Committee, reiterated the state’s commitment to a peaceful, technically sound, and legally compliant boundary resolution.

Idahosa noted that the mutually agreed boundary alignment endorsed in 2006 remains a critical milestone that provides both legal and technical clarity for completing the process. He stressed the urgency of addressing factors that previously hindered the monumentation exercise and called for its immediate resumption in the interest of affected border communities.

Technical briefings at the meeting confirmed that the Internal Boundary Technical Committee (IBTC) had approved the Edo/Kogi boundary in 2006, relying on Legal Notice 126 of 1954 as its statutory foundation. Both states had earlier adopted the agreed alignment, with monumentation commencing in 2007 before disruptions arising from community resistance in certain sectors stalled further progress.

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The confirmations effectively reinforce Edo State’s long-standing position that the boundary framework is already established and requires only the completion of the physical monumentation process.

In a move seen as a major step toward final demarcation, the meeting resolved that the Office of the Surveyor-General of the Federation and the NBC would provide Edo State with large-scale maps of the agreed boundary alignment to facilitate field operations.

The Commission is also expected to interface with Edo State authorities to make arrangements for the early resumption of monumentation.

As part of the renewed roadmap, Edo State will undertake targeted enlightenment and sensitization campaigns in affected border communities, working closely with traditional institutions to ensure buy-in and prevent further disruptions.

In addition, the Federal Government and the affected states will jointly identify pillar sites ahead of the full resumption of monumentation, while adequate security will be deployed to guarantee smooth field operations.