Gombe state is located in northeastern Nigeria, right within the expansive savannah, and is one of the 36 states in Nigeria. The state shares boundaries with the Tangale-Waja Chiefdom and Gombe Emirate, which is a historical and traditional state. It also shares common borders with Borno state, Yobe state, Adamawa state and Bauchi state. Gombe state is majorly inhabited by the Fulani tribe. According to the 2006 census, the population of Gombe state is about 2,365,000 people.
The slogan of Gombe state is the Jewel in The Savannah. The state was formed in October 1996 and carved out from part of the old Bauchi State by the military government of Abacha.
Gombe state has 24 State House Assembly members, 11 Local Government Areas and 14 Emirates/chiefdoms. This article covers every information you need about the 11 local government areas in Gombe state.
List of Local Governments in Gombe State
Read on below:
Funakaye
This is one of the local government areas of Gombe State. Its headquarters are in the town of Bajoga. Funakaye LGA shares boundaries with the Gongola River and Lake Dadin Kowa to its east, beyond these rivers lie Yobe State and Borno State. The local government got her name from Fula language which is a common language in the area. Funakaye is majorly inhabited by the Fulani tribe as well as other minorities. According to the 2006 population census, Funakaye local government has a population of 236,087.
Gombe
Gombe is the capital of Gombe State. The city has an estimated population of 261,536. The city is the headquarters of the Gombe Emirate, an historical and traditional state. The city is mostly inhabited by the Fulani people who constitute more than half of the state’s population. Other minor ethnic groups in Gombe include the Bolewa, Tera, Waja and Hausa. According to the 2006 population census, the LGA has a population of 268,000.
Kaltungo
Kaltungo is another local government area of Gombe State, Nigeria. Its headquarters are in the town of Kaltungo. According to the 2006 census, Kaltungo has a population of 149,805. The postal code of the area is 770
Akko LGA- Kumo
Akko is another local government area in Gombe State, Nigeria. The LGA is located in the southern part of Gombe. Its headquarters are in the city of Kumo located in the western area of Gombe city. Kumo (headquarters) is a cosmopolitan community with more than 30 different tribes, ranging from the major Fulani tribe to Tangale, Tera, Hausa and other minority ethnic groups.
Kumo is a city and the headquarters of Akko local government area. Kumo is renowned as a national center for commercial activities. The LGA has numerous markets, such as Tike (a livestock market), Tashar gwari (a vegetable market), Tudun hatsi (a grain market) and the Babbar kasuwa, which is the main market. Kumo is also the second-largest commercial centre after Gombe city in the state. It is a highly cosmopolitan area with various languages. The major occupations of the inhabitants of Akko LGA are farming and trading. As with most northern states in Nigeria, there is many agricultural activities that take place in Akko LGA. According to the 2006 population census, Akko has a population of 337,853. The postal code of the area is 771
Kwami
This is another Local Government Area in Gombe State. Its headquarters are in the town of Mallam Sidi. Kwami shares boundaries with Lake Dadin Kowa to its east. According to the 2006 population census, the LGA has a population of 195,298. Kwami is predominantly populated by the Fulani tribe and other minority ethnic groups.
Nafada
Its headquarters are in the town of Nafada which is located east of the area. It is dominated by the Fulani people who speak Fulfulde as the major language. According to the 2006 census, Nafada has a population of 138,185 people. The postal code of the area is 762
Shongom
This is another local government area in Gombe State, Nigeria. Its headquarters is in the town of Boh which is located in the northern part of the area. According to the 2006 census, the area has a population of 151,520.
Yamaltu/Deba
Yamaltu or Deba is another local Government Area in Gombe State. Its headquarters are in the town of Deba which is located in the south eastern part of Gombe city. It is inhabited by mainly Tera and Fulani people. According to the 2006 population census, Yamaltu has a population of 255,248 people.
Balanga
Balanga is another Local Government Area in the south-eastern part of Gombe State. The LGA shares borders with Adamawa State. Its headquarters are in the town of Tallase. The major language in Balanga is Waja. According to the 2006 population census, Balanga has a population of 212,549. The postal code of the area is 761.
About the Loojaa settlement in Balanga and the Jalaa language
The Loojaa settlement in Balanga Local Government Area is home to the speakers of Jalaa language. This is a now extinct language of the north-eastern part of Nigeria. History has it that the Jalabe people came to Loojaa from an area within the Muri Mountains. They shared a settlement with Tso and Kwa clans. Later, during the nineteenth century, the Dikaka people arrived in the area while fleeing attacks from the Waja people. The Cham people intermarried with the Jalabe, which made them begin to adopt the Dikaka language.
Billiri
This is another Local Government Area in Gombe State. Its headquarters are in the town of Billiri which is located northeast of the area. According to the 2006 census, Biliri has a population of 202,144 people. The postal code of the area is 771
Dukku
Dukku is a local government area in Gombe State. Its headquarters are in the town of Dukku. According to the 2006 census, Dukku has a population of 207,190 people. The major ethnic group in Dukku Local government is Fulani while Fulfulde is the major language spoken. Other minority languages include Bolewa, Hausa, Kanuri, Kare-Kare. The postal code of the area is 760