Lafia

Lafia is a town in central Nigeria. It is the capital city of Nasarawa State and has a population of 330,712 inhabitants according to the 2006 census results. It is the largest town in Nasarawa state.

History

Before Lafia became the capital of a local chiefdom in the early nineteenth century, a small settlement consisting of a minority tribe called Anane had existed on the site.

Lafia, formerly Lafia Beri-Beri, town, Nassarawa state, central Nigeria. Originally the site of Anane, a small town of the Koro (Migili) people, Lafia became the capital of a prominent local chiefdom in the early 19th century. During the rule of Mohamman Agwe (1881–1903), the Lafia market became one of the most important in the Benue Valley, and a trade route was opened to Loko (56 mi [90 km] southwest), a Benue River port. In 1903 the British, who controlled Northern Nigeria, recognized Chief Musa as Lafia’s first emir. The emirate formed the major part of the Lafia Division of Benue province. In 1967 the town became part of Benue-Plateau state, and in 1976 it was allocated to Plateau state.