Spatial Analysis of Political Capital Citation Using Remote Sensing and GIS; A Case Study of Lokoja

Abstract

Lokoja town, the Kogi state capital is located at the Niger-Benue confluence in the south central part of Nigeria which is about 170 km from the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Abuja. The town has experience tremendous urbanization changes in its strait location within the elongated Patti Hill and the River Niger – Benue confluence which is a potential zone of conflict between man and the environment. This study therefore uses the Remote Sensing and GIS technique in assessing the pattern of urbanization growth
around the confluence area by generating a land-use/land-cover map from the satellite imageries of Landsat (TM/ETM) of 1987 and 2001 using Arc View 3.3 and Idrisi 32. The study find out that the sandwiching of the town actually support the doctrine of environmental determinism as against the environmental possibilism as new developments are forced toward Kabba and Ganaja roads. River bank encroachment and ecological devastation is also very obvious from the image analysis. Land reclamation for various land uses is on the increase along the Niger River especially along Filele. The image analysis and even visual observation reveal that Patti hill is being eroded by all forms of human development activities with evidences of landslides. This study also shows that peri-urban development is on the
increase where agricultural farm stead is becoming urbanized as seen all around Niger barracks. The study therefore recommended that RS and GIS should be a major tool in spatial urbanization management and in the citation of any political capital in the country.

Key Words: Confluence Area, Land/Use, Remote Sensing, Terrain,  Urbanization.