Edo, Kogi govts meet on boundary dispute, sue for peace

Kogi State Governor Yahaya Bello

To end communal disputes between Ososo Community in Edo State and Okenne in Kogi State, the governments of both states have agreed to prevail on the communities to cohabit peacefully together.

The crisis, which had lasted for over 20 years and had escalated due to the battle to collect revenues in the affected areas by community leaders and youths, had claimed several lives over the years while properties worth millions of Naira have been destroyed.

Deputy governors of the two states led members of their boundary committees, experts on boundary matters and traditional rulers of the disputed areas to the discussion, which took place in Lokoja.

Deputy Governor of the state, Comrade Philip Shaibu, led the Edo State team while his Kogi State counterpart, Simon Achuba, led his state team.

Shaibu pointed out that during the administration of former President Olusegun Obasanjo, field exercises were carried out by boundary officials of both states with the office of the Surveyor General of the Federation and the National Boundary Commission (NBC).

They called on the NBC to engage the two states with a view to finalising the physical demarcation of the boundary between the two states.

A three-point communiqué jointly signed by the two states reads: “The Edo and Kogi state governments should sensitise their people in the border communities to always maintain peace and cooperate with the relevant federal government officials when they come for physical demarcation of the boundary between the two states.

“The joint meeting agreed that any action or activity that will cause the breach of peace should be clearly avoided by both communities.”