Yobe State

Yobe is a state located in northeastern Nigeria. A mainly agricultural state, it was created on August 27, 1991. Yobe State was carved out of Borno State. The capital of Yobe State is Damaturu; its largest city is Potiskum.

The state borders four states: Bauchi, Borno, Gombe, and Jigawa. It borders to the north the Diffa and Zinder Regions of Niger. Because the state lies mainly in the dry savanna belt, conditions are hot and dry for most of the year, except in the southern part of the state which has more annual rainfall.

Yobe State came into being on 27 August 1991. It was carved out of the old Borno State by the Babangida administration. Yobe State was created because the old Borno State was one of Nigeria’s largest states in terms of land area and was therefore considered to be too large for easy administration and meaningful development. Ethnic rivalries within the old Borno State also contributed to the decision.[4]

On 14 May 2013, President Goodluck Jonathan declared a state of emergency in Yobe State along with nearby Borno and Adamawa States, due to the jihadist terrorist network Boko Haram’s insurgency. Boko Haram’s leader Abubakar Shekau was born in Shekau village of Yobe.[5]

Boko Haram’s attacks in Yobe include those in Damaturu in November 2011, December 2011 and June 2012, Gadaka in December 2011, Potiskum in December 2012, November 2014 and July 2015, Mamudo in July 2013, Gujba in September 2013, Buni Yadi in February and May 2014 and Dapchi in 2018.