Lere Natives Reaffirm Membership in SOKAPU, Reject Attempt to Disown Heritage

The Coalition of Concerned Natives of Lere Local Government Area in Kaduna State has reaffirmed its membership in the Southern Kaduna Peoples Union (SOKAPU) and its identification with Southern Kaduna. At a press conference on February 3, 2025, Comrade Shuaib Ibrahim Umaru, Spokesman for the Concerned Natives stated that Lere natives are part of Southern Kaduna, hence their participation in the Southern Kaduna Festival.

This declaration comes after a group, the Lere Local Government Unity Association Forum, questioned their affiliation with Southern Kaduna. However, the natives have maintained that their membership in SOKAPU is “sacrosanct and non-negotiable,” emphasizing that it is a matter of choice and a fundamental right.

Comrade Umaru stated that “Recall that on the 20th of January, 2025, we issued a press statement in response to a statement issued by one group called the Lere Local Government Unity Forum and signed by one Bar. Nasiru Bello Dambo and by one Mallam Nasiru Idris, in which they accused the organizers of the Southern Kaduna Cultural Festival (SKFEST) of referring to our elected leaders as being members of Southern Kaduna.

“However, on the 23rd of January, 2025, our national leader, Engr. SK Tabara, acted appropriately by coming out on behalf of SOKAPU to respond to the group. Today, we have come out again to reaffirm our earlier position and to state unequivocally and non-negotiably our membership of SOKAPU and Southern Kaduna, as nicely captured in our press statement.”

The Concerned Natives further stated that despite the statement from the Lere Local Government Unity Forum, their cultural affiliation with Southern Kaduna remains unshaken. According to the spokesman of the group, Bar. Dambo’s statement cannot remove the indigenous nature of Southern Kaduna from the people of Lere, Kajuru, Chikun, or Kaduna South.

The natives have also highlighted their historical and cultural ties to Southern Kaduna, citing the Nok civilization, which dates back over 500 years. They have challenged anyone to verify the facts, stating that their association with SOKAPU is a matter of the heart, and they won’t be swayed by external pressures to disown their heritage.

In a related development, Yakubu J. Maigamo, President of the Akurmi National Development Council, has called for a boundary adjustment to reunite the Akurmi people with Southern Kaduna. According to Maigamo, the Akurmi ethnic group constitutes over 80 percent of Lere Local Government Area and was historically part of Southern Kaduna until a boundary readjustment moved them to the northern part of Kaduna.

Maigamo explained, “Initially, we—Kauru, Samina, Chikun, and other Local Government Areas at the time—were part of Kachia Local Government Area of Kaduna, which is in Southern Kaduna. However, during a boundary readjustment, we were moved to Saminaka Local Government. Later, during the government of Dabo Lere, our name—Saminaka—was changed to Lere, which we are not happy about.”

He further stated, “Because of a power tussle, our name was changed from Saminaka to Lere. This name, Lere, is not ours nor does it represent our people. The name Lere originates from a place in Bauchi and was simply imposed on us. This is why we want our name to revert to Saminaka.”

Maigamo further appealed to the Federal Government to return the Akurmi people to Southern Kaduna, emphasizing that they have historically identified with the region.