The senate committee on state and local government affairs says residents of Nigeria’s border communities are crossing into neighbouring countries to access water, schools, and other basic amenities due to neglect and poor infrastructure.
Binos Yaroe, senator representing Adamawa south and chairman of the committee, spoke on Monday while presenting the 2025 budget estimates of agencies under his supervision to the senate committee on appropriation.
The agencies include the Border Communities Development Agency (BCDA) and the National Boundary Commission (NBC).
Yaroe said the absence of basic social infrastructure in border areas has left many communities vulnerable and disconnected from the Nigerian state.
“With regards to the Border Community Development Agency, Mr Chairman, our communities at the border — because we do not have facilities for them — sometimes they give their allegiance to neighbouring countries,” he said.
“So, some of them have to cross over to neighbouring countries to get some of the social amenities, such as schools. Some even go to get water. So, it is important to provide funds to this agency.”
The lawmaker said the committee made a special provision of N50 billion for the agency in the 2025 budget through the service-wide vote to address some of the challenges.
He lamented that the funds have not been released, leaving the agency unable to carry out its mandate effectively.
“Last year, we made a special case, and the Borders Community Development Agency was provided an amount through the service-wide vote, which will enable them to be able to do some of their work. But unfortunately, because of the non-release of these funds, they have not been able to carry out their duties effectively,” he said.
Yaroe also raised concerns about unresolved boundary disputes among states, attributing the problem to inadequate funding for demarcation exercises.
He cited the dispute between Bauchi and Gombe, where the discovery of oil has heightened tensions over unclear territorial boundaries.
“Because they have not been able to have sufficient funds, there is still a large number of boundaries that have not been demarcated,” he said.
“I’ll just mention one incident, the boundary between Bauchi state and Gombe state.
“You know, because of the discovery of oil, it has given rise to a crisis between these two states because one state will say this oil is discovered in their state, and the other will say no, it is in their state. Because there is no clear demarcated boundary between them.”
Responding, Tahir Monguno, senate chief whip, who chaired the session in the absence of Solomon Adeola, chairman of the appropriation committee, said the agencies require adequate funding to address boundary disputes and improve living conditions in border communities.
Monguno, who represents Borno north, said many border communities in the state, which share boundaries with Cameroon, project a poor image of the country due to harsh living conditions.
