The Local Government Area was created in 1991 when Taraba State was created out of Gongola State. It borders Michika to the south, Askira uba to the west, Gwoza local government area to the north and the Republic of Cameroon to the east.

In September 2012, a Boko Haram commander was killed in Madgali by Nigerian government forces, and 156 arrests were made as a part of "Operation Restore sanity.

The town was seized by Boko Haram in August 2014. In September 2014, residents of Madagali, Gulak, and Michika fled to mountainous areas and Mubi town, in the wake of a failed attempt by government troops to re-take the town from the insurgents.a