The demarcation of the Benue and Nasarawa state boundary would commence by the first quarter of the year 2022.

This was contained in the communique signed by the Benue state Deputy Governor, Mr. Benson Abounu and his Nasarawa state counterpart, Emmanuel Akabe issued at the end of the joint meeting of officials on the Benue/Nasarawa interstate boundary held Tuesday in Makurdi.

The meeting also agreed that the field verification exercise on disagreed sections of the boundary should commence also in the first quarter of 2022.

The two states in the communique agreed that “adequate security shall be put in place by both states towards the effective participation of field officers during the exercise.

“States are also advised to provide four-wheel drive vehicles and other logistic supports to their contingents on the joint field team for effective participation.”

Speaking further on the resolutions reached at the end of the meeting, the Benue state Deputy Governor said the boundary communities had been adequately sentisised about the exercise; he however expressed worry that political solution would be applied in Yelewata and Torkula in Guma Local Government Area where there were disagreements.

He said even though Yelewata had been authoritatively certified to belong to Benue state, the legal instruments of 1916, 1919 and 1924 bequeathed by the colonial masters did not reflect the realities on ground.

“Our standpoint has been that where possible, a political solution should be found for such problems. You have Yelewata as a town populated by citizens of Benue, how peaceful will it be if you divide that town?”