By Henry Umoru

THE Senate yesterday summoned the Director- General, National Boundaries Commission, Adamu Adaji to appear before it to explain why he has  refused to implement the resolutions of his Agency with particular reference to the Okpella (in Edo State and Ebira in Kogi State axis).

Speaking in Abuja when the Committee on Ethics Privileges and Public Petitions met with Okpella Council of Village Heads and Chiefs on a petition against the Director- General, Chairman of the Committee, Senator Ayo Akinyelure, PDP, Ondo Central said that Adaji must appear before the Committee on Wednesday, 14 December in order for the lingering issue to be nipped in the bud against the backdrop that his not implementing the decision has led to many youths being killed and misled.

According to Akinyelure, the action of one man who has swore to an oath that he would be fair and just in carrying out his responsibility has led to  the lingering crisis between the people of Ebira in Kogi State and Okpella community in Edo State, saying that he should remain neutral in this matter as he is an officer of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and not to be sentimental about his state of origin which is Kogi State, adding that the office he presently occupies is different from him as it is for the entire  Nigeria and Nigerians.

The Senate Committee lamented that the NBC ignored its  earlier invitations and asked him to appear before it on December 14 or risked a warrant of arrest. 

The  limestone – rich Okpellla Community  in Edo and Kogi states have been at logger heads for sometime over the issue of boundary, just as two  major cement manufacturing giants in the country, Messrs Dangote and BUA have their plants in Okpella, in the disputed boundary. 

Against the backdrop that the development had degenerated into crisis situations severally resulting  to deaths in each occasion and to  avert further bloodbath, the Okpella community petitioned the Senate through the Senator representing Edo North District, Senator Francis Alimikhena, through their counsel, Dr. Ayuba Giwa. 

The Okepella people in their petition, lamented that despite the fact that NBC recognised an age long boundary between the two communities, necessary physical structures had not been erected by the commission, many years after the agreement was reached on the issue.