₦airaland Forum

A recent claim that Borgu Local Government Area in Niger State is bigger than the entire South-East geopolitical zone has stirred debate across the country.

The Claim
Governor Mohammed Umar Bago of Niger made the claim while appearing on TVC’s Politics on Sunday.


According to him, “I have a local government in Niger State, Borgu which is bigger than the entire South East Nigeria”.

The vastness of Niger State is not in doubt as Nigeria’s largest state by landmass, stretching across diverse landscapes that touch the Middle Belt and the far North. Also, Borgu district is often described as one of the biggest in the country.

But a closer look at the facts shows that while Borgu with its headquarters in New Bussa, is renowned for its vast expanse land, the claim does not hold up against official figures.

Borgu is home to the Kainji National Park and other natural reserves that account for a large portion of its territory. Findings showed that Borgu covers about 10,992 square kilometres, though some sources put it at 11,267 square kilometres.

To put it in perspective, Borgu is bigger than Lagos State, which measures just about 3,577 square kilometres, and also larger than Anambra State, which is about 4,844 square kilometres.

The South-East region, one of Nigeria’s six geopolitical zones, comprises Abia, Anambra, Ebonyi, Enugu and Imo states.


These five states are among the smallest in Nigeria by landmass, yet together they form a significant region.

Comparing in terms of land area, Abia State has 6,320 km², Anambra, 4,844 km²; Ebonyi 5,670 km²; Enugu, 7,161 km² and Imo State 5,530 km².

Taken together, the South-East covers approximately 29,525 km² and the figures become clearer when placed side by side with Borgu LGA covering about 11,000 km² and South-East Region, 29,500 km².

Even at a higher reported size, Borgu amounts to only about 37 percent of the South-East’s land area, meaning that the region is nearly three times bigger than the local government.


The governor’s “mix-up” is not without precedent. Borgu has historically been known as a kingdom stretching across present-day Nigeria and Benin Republic.

The broader “Borgu” was indeed massive, much larger than a single Nigerian region today. Over time, the term has been narrowed to denote the administrative LGA within Niger State, which is far smaller.

Another source of confusion is the frequent comparison between Borgu and individual states. Borgu is bigger than several states in Nigeria, and that fact is often cited to emphasize its size. However, being larger than one or two small states is very different from being bigger than an entire geopolitical zone comprising five states.


The Verdict
The evidence is clear: Borgu Local Government Area is not bigger than the South-East. At about 11,000 km², Borgu is a vast LGA, even exceeding some states in size. But compared to the combined 29,525 km² of the South-East, it falls short by a wide margin.

Conclusion
Governor Bago’s assertion that Borgu is larger than the entire South-East is false. While Niger State can boast of having some of the largest LGAs in Nigeria, including Borgu, the South-East region remains nearly three times its (Borgu) size. The claim, though perhaps intended to highlight Niger’s geographical spread, does not align with established data.

MICHEALADEX:
So check Niger state as a whole vs South east as give us the answer

MICHEALADEX:
So check Niger state as a whole vs South east as give us the answer

Bobloco:
https://dailytrust.com/fact-check-is-borgu-lga-bigger-than-the-entire-south-east-as-gov-bago-claimed/

jmoore:
I wonder how those guys graduated from school.

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ShenTeh:
Borgu local government area is no doubt a large place having grown up there myself. Recall that the LGA was previously under Kwara state before IBB re-allgned it to Niger around 1992in his last days in office, I think, because of the hydro electric facilities such as the Kainji Dam, the Jebba power stations and the games reserve, the Fisheries Institute, the Air-force and military installations, etc

The Borgu people are generally spread across the Kaiama and Barutein LGAs in Kwara State and some parts of Nikki in Benin Republic today, speaking different tonal variations of a similar language with shared cultural values.

The governor's reference though is the many ways that every politician make sport of the South East.

MICHEALADEX:
So check Niger state as a whole vs South east as give us the answer

PHIPEX:
Who cares really? South East is bigger than Isreal and Japan

Productivity has nothing to do with landmass. Some landmass are good for.nothing

IrantiOlorun:
Governor Bago is talking too much recently and needs to watch what he says.

Bobloco:
https://dailytrust.com/fact-check-is-borgu-lga-bigger-than-the-entire-south-east-as-gov-bago-claimed/