Don’t take laws into your hands over boundary disputes – Minister warns

The FCT Minister, Malam Muhammad Bello, has cautioned communities having boundary disputes not to take laws into their hands.

The minister spoke on Saturday in Abuja when the 10-member FCT Boundary Committee visited him.

According to Bello, peace remains the best approach to resolve issues, adding that peaceful co-existence has no alternative.

He urged community and political leaders to encourage their subjects as well as followers to embrace peace at all times.

The minister, however, warned that the FCT Administration would not hesitate to sanction community or political leaders that allowed boundary disputes to cause breakdown of law and order.

He urged the communities to follow due process to get disputes resolved amicably in the interest of peace.

“I want to state here very clearly, in all the communities, whether it is inside the FCT or at the bordering communities, any community that takes the law into its hands or tries to create misunderstanding that results into violence will be dealt with.

“The traditional rulers of that community and the relevant political and administrative officers of that community will be held fully and squarely responsible,’’ he warned.

The minister listed the terms of reference of the committee which include -“dealing with inter and intra Area Council Boundary disputes, define and delimit Inter Area Council Boundaries, intervene in areas of potential disputes,’’ among others.

Responding, Dr Babatope Ajakaiye, FCT Permanent Secretary, and Chairman, FCT Boundary Committee, assured they would do a thorough job.

“We are going to do this professionally and dispassionately.

“The committee will not take sides. The committee will ensure that everything is done with the fear of God because it is God that gives absolute peace,” he said.

Members of the committee include- representative of the Attorney General of the Federation, FCT Police Commissioner, Director of FCT Command of DSS, among others.

The Director of FCT Survey and Mapping will serve as Secretary.