By Achadu Gabriel, Kaduna
A potential boundary dispute is brewing as the Lere Local Government Unity Association Forum (UAF) has issued a stern warning against labeling Lere Local Government Area (LGA) as part of Southern Kaduna.
The forum, representing concerned citizens of Lere LGA in Kaduna State, has also refuted claims by some individuals that Lere belongs to Southern Kaduna.
In a statement jointly signed by the Chairman of the Unity Association Forum (UAF), Barrister Nasiru Bello Dembo, and Secretary Mal. Ahmed Idris, and made available to newsmen in Kaduna on Tuesday, the group addressed the matter.
The statement highlighted that the issue arose from a publication related to an annual event called SKFEST 2024, organized by the Southern Kaduna Peoples Union (SOKAPU). The publication allegedly listed certain political officeholders from Lere LGA as representatives of Southern Kaduna, which the forum described as a factual misrepresentation.
According to the statement, such claims violate Sections 8, 48, and 72 of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, which categorizes Lere as part of the Northern Senatorial District of Kaduna State.
The UAF further clarified that Lere LGA is not included in the geographical classification of Southern Kaduna and urged the organizers of the event to desist from spreading misleading information to avoid unnecessary conflicts.
Research indicates that Lere LGA, inhabited by both Christians and Muslims, is strategically positioned along the boundary between the northern and southern parts of Kaduna State.