Potiskum

Potiskum is the largest city in Yobe State and originally the town has about three major tribes which include a Ngizim, bolawa and kara-kare. It is one of the Local Government Area in Yobe State Nigeria, it is on the A3 highway at .

History

The city of Potiskum is an abode to the most organised traditional and community administration known as Fika Emirate. Historically, what is known as Fika Emirate with headquarters in Potiskum was the brain child of the British Colonialists who harnessed the indigenous tribes in the area namely, Kare-Kare, Ngizim, Ngamo, Bolewa, Fulani and Hausa to form a Central Administration

Emir of Pataskum

The current Emir of Pataskum is Mai Umar Ibn Wuriwa Bauya Lai-Lai.

Economy

Potiskum has been a thriving trade hegemony in Yobe State because of its strategic position as a centre of commerce, learning, spiritual and cultural revival. People from neighbouring Borno, Jigawa, Kano, Bauchi and Gombe States, and numerous others from Niger, Cameroon, Benin and Central African Republic have stakes in the ‘biggest cattle market in sub-Saharan Africa,’ which is situated in Potiskum. And also have one of the biggest correctional facilities in Nigeria.

Therefore, Potiskum is known for the following markets:

Potiskum Cow Market

Potiskum is the largest city in Yobe State with booming business in the area. It has one of the largest cattle market in Africa and the largest in West Africa. Most of the cattle are transported to other parts of the country.

Landscape

It had an area of

Population

As of 2006, the population of Potiskum was 156,859. In 2022, the population of Potiskum stands at 483,346.

Notable people

* Idris Alkali, former chief of administration, army headquarters
* Baba idi Potiskum
*Lamba Shua'ibu
*Alhaji Idi Wadina Lailai
*Alhaji Baba Adi
*Imrana Alhaji Buba
*Alhaji Maina Waziri
*Alhaji Mamman Farafara
*Alhaji Idi Jigu-jigu
*Lamba Sabo
*Lamba Dogo Nini
*Alhaji Abban Jalo
*Alhaji Guragusko

Potiskum airstrip

Potiskum Airstrip is located in city's GRA from the western part of the town along Kano road. The Nigerian Airspace Management Agency (NAMA) office in the field, which is supposed to be responsible for the transmission of air traffic information to aircraft flying over the airfield, is not fully functional as the Omni-Directional Range Equipment installed there was not equipped with computers to enable the workers scientifically spot planes hovering over Potiskum. The airport came into being during the scramble for Africa by the colonialists because Potiskum was a sprawling town in the north which was earlier annexed by Germany before the United Kingdom took over. The aim of constructing the airport was to make the movements of the white men in and out of Potiskum easy because the town was also the gateway to other nearby towns in the north, which had enhanced trading activities and other associated commercial services in the region.

Boko Haram attacks

In July 2009, Boko Haram members set a police station on fire during their uprising.

A May 2012 attack on the cattle market killed over 34 people, but appeared to be an attack by criminals seeking revenge, and not Boko Haram.

On 25 December 2012, a mass shooting occurred at a church.

On 3 November 2014, at least 30 people were killed in a suicide bombing at a Shia Muslim religious procession at Faydia Islamic school. Yobe State Governor Ibrahim Gaidam promised members of the Islamic Movement in Nigeria (ISMN) that he would demand full investigation of allegations of shootings of its members by soldiers deployed to the scene of the attack.Njadvara Musa.
Nigeria: Yobe to Probe Potiskum Blast, Death Toll Rises to 30
'' The Guardian - allAfrica.com. 6 Nov 2014. Accessed January 18, 2015

On 6 November 2014, sixteen men arrested by Nigerian Army soldiers were "found dead of bullet wounds hours later." (Another source puts the number at eighteen.)

On 10 November 2014 at least 46 boys were killed and 79 wounded, by a suicide bomber during a student assembly at the Government Science Secondary School."

On 11 January 2015, four people were killed and over 40 were injured at Kasuwar Jagwal GSM market after an attack by two female suicide bombers, one of whom appeared to be about 15 years old. A bombing involving a parked car also occurred that day, killing two people and injuring one, at the Divisional Police Station.

On 13 January 2015, Governor Ibrahim Gaidam condemned the attacks, and "proposed the establishment of an Emergency Response Centre at the General Hospital in Potiskum." He stated that the medical bills for those injured in the attack would be paid, including for the injured who had been transferred to other hospitals for treatment.

On 22 and 24 February 2015, suicide bombers killed 22 people.

On 5 July 2015, a six people were killed in a suicide bombing.

Demographics

Potiksum is Projected to be the seventh fastest growing city on the African continent between 2020 and 2025, with a 5.65% growth.

See also

* List of Local Government Areas in Yobe State

References

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