By Our Correspondent
Benue state Governor, Dr Samuel Ortom, and his Taraba state counterpart, Darius Dickson Ishaku, yesterday agreed to swap border communities in their respective states.
They made the announcement after a joint states Security Council meeting which they held in Kashimbila after a tour of some border communities of both states.
They stated that although the National Boundaries Commission had put Moon in Taraba state and Chanchangi in Benue state, indigenes of the two communities preferred to swap their states on account of their long standing affinities on either side.
The governors stated that they respected and accepted the sensibilities and choice of the indigenes.
Governor Ortom first broke the news of the decision at Anyiase in Moon while his colleague, Governor Ishaku, confirmed the decision when it was his turn to speak.
They stated that they would raise technical teams to work out the details that would be communicated to the commission and appealed to other indigenes who fall on either side during the demarcation exercise to accept their status in good faith.
The chief executives pledged their resolve to sort out the boundaries of their states in order to end violence around the issue and enhance permanent peace.
Ortom and Ishaku stated that with the two of them at the helm of affairs of both states it was the best opportunity for the states to collaborate for lasting peace because they shared several things in common including faith in God and being colleagues at the Federal Executive Council as ministers.
They agreed to meet again to sort out border issues around their northern border in the near future so as to end the attendant skirmishes and ensure peace which they said was an imperative for development.
Governor Ortom promised to ensure the return of the displaced people of Moon and the rehabilitation of critical infrastructure and social amenities in the area.
Both governors also agreed that ranching remained the best and permanent solution to the incessant farmers and herders’ clashes.
