Kebbi State
Encyclopedia
Kebbi State is a state in north-western Nigeria
with its capital at Birnin Kebbi
. The state was formed from part of Sokoto State
in 1991. Kebbi State is bordered by Sokoto State
, Niger State
, Dosso Region in the Republic of Niger
and the nation of Benin
. It has a total area of 36,800 km².
conquered by Babylonia
n and Median
forces in 612 BCE. A major local event was the conquest by Songhay in the second half of the fifteenth century CE.
The state has Sudan and sahel-savannah. The southern part is generally rocky with the Niger River
traversing the state from Benin to Ngaski
LGA. The northern part of the state is sandy with the Rima River
passing through Argungu to Bagudo LGA where it empties into the Niger. Agriculture is the main occupation of the people especially in rural areas, Crops produced are mainly grains; animal rearing and fishing are also common. Islam is the dominant religion of the people. There are 225 political wards, 3000 settlements and 1036 hard to reach settlements in the 21 Local Government Areas in the State.
Kebbi State is divided into 21 Local Government Areas (LGAs), four emirate
councils (Gwandu, Argungu
, Yauri and Zuru), and 35 districts. The Local Government Areas are as follows:
|
, with some members of Bussawa, Dukawa, Kambari and Kamuku ethnic communities.
Nigeria
Nigeria , officially the Federal Republic of Nigeria, is a federal constitutional republic comprising 36 states and its Federal Capital Territory, Abuja. The country is located in West Africa and shares land borders with the Republic of Benin in the west, Chad and Cameroon in the east, and Niger in...
with its capital at Birnin Kebbi
Birnin Kebbi
Birnin Kebbi is a city located in northwestern Nigeria. It is the capital city of Kebbi State and headquarters of the Gwandu Emirate. As of 2007 the city has an estimated population of 115,547....
. The state was formed from part of Sokoto State
Sokoto State
Sokoto State is located in the extreme northwest of Nigeria, near to the confluence of the Sokoto River and the Rima River. As of 2005 it has an estimated population of more than 4.2 million...
in 1991. Kebbi State is bordered by Sokoto State
Sokoto State
Sokoto State is located in the extreme northwest of Nigeria, near to the confluence of the Sokoto River and the Rima River. As of 2005 it has an estimated population of more than 4.2 million...
, Niger State
Niger State
Niger State is a state in the western part of Nigeria and the largest state in the country. The state capital is Minna, and other major cities are Bida, Kontagora, and Suleja. It was formed in 1976 when the then North-Western State was bifurcated into Niger State and Sokoto State.The state is named...
, Dosso Region in the Republic of Niger
Niger
Niger , officially named the Republic of Niger, is a landlocked country in Western Africa, named after the Niger River. It borders Nigeria and Benin to the south, Burkina Faso and Mali to the west, Algeria and Libya to the north and Chad to the east...
and the nation of Benin
Benin
Benin , officially the Republic of Benin, is a country in West Africa. It borders Togo to the west, Nigeria to the east and Burkina Faso and Niger to the north. Its small southern coastline on the Bight of Benin is where a majority of the population is located...
. It has a total area of 36,800 km².
History
Kebbi is traditionally considered to belong to the Banza bakwai states of Hausaland. According to recent research based on local oral traditions, king lists and on the Kebbi chronicle, the state of Kebbi was founded towards 600 BCE by refugees of the Assyrian empireAssyria
Assyria was a Semitic Akkadian kingdom, extant as a nation state from the mid–23rd century BC to 608 BC centred on the Upper Tigris river, in northern Mesopotamia , that came to rule regional empires a number of times through history. It was named for its original capital, the ancient city of Assur...
conquered by Babylonia
Babylonia
Babylonia was an ancient cultural region in central-southern Mesopotamia , with Babylon as its capital. Babylonia emerged as a major power when Hammurabi Babylonia was an ancient cultural region in central-southern Mesopotamia (present-day Iraq), with Babylon as its capital. Babylonia emerged as...
n and Median
Medes
The MedesThe Medes...
forces in 612 BCE. A major local event was the conquest by Songhay in the second half of the fifteenth century CE.
Subdivisions
Kebbi state was created out of the former Sokoto State on 17 August 1991. The State has a total population of 3,137,989 people as projected from the 1991 census, within 21 Local Government areas.The state has Sudan and sahel-savannah. The southern part is generally rocky with the Niger River
Niger River
The Niger River is the principal river of western Africa, extending about . Its drainage basin is in area. Its source is in the Guinea Highlands in southeastern Guinea...
traversing the state from Benin to Ngaski
Ngaski
Ngaski is a Local Government Area in Kebbi State, Nigeria, on the shores of Kainji Lake. Its headquarters are in the town of Wara.It has an area of 2,633 km² and a population of 124,766 at the 2006 census.The postal code of the area is 870....
LGA. The northern part of the state is sandy with the Rima River
Rima River
The Rima River is a river in the northern part of Nigeria. At its northern most point it is joined by the Goulbi de Maradi river. It runs southwest and joins the Sokoto River near Sokoto, then continues south to the Niger River. The upper Rima is a seasonal river and flows only during the rainy...
passing through Argungu to Bagudo LGA where it empties into the Niger. Agriculture is the main occupation of the people especially in rural areas, Crops produced are mainly grains; animal rearing and fishing are also common. Islam is the dominant religion of the people. There are 225 political wards, 3000 settlements and 1036 hard to reach settlements in the 21 Local Government Areas in the State.
Kebbi State is divided into 21 Local Government Areas (LGAs), four emirate
Emirate
An emirate is a political territory that is ruled by a dynastic Muslim monarch styled emir.-Etymology:Etymologically emirate or amirate is the quality, dignity, office or territorial competence of any emir ....
councils (Gwandu, Argungu
Kebbi Emirate
The Kebbi Emirate, also known as the Argungu Emirate is a traditional state based on the town of Argungu in Kebbi State, Nigeria. It is the successor to the ancient Hausa kingdom of Kebbi....
, Yauri and Zuru), and 35 districts. The Local Government Areas are as follows:
|
- AleiroAleiroAleiro is a Local Government Area in Kebbi State, Nigeria. Its headquarters are in the town of Aleiro.It has an area of 350 km² and a population of 65,973 at the 2006 census.The postal code of the area is 863....
- Arewa DandiArewa DandiArewa Dandi is a Local Government Area in Kebbi State, Nigeria, sharing a boundary with the Republic of Niger. Its headquarters are in the town of Arewa Dandi.It has an area of 3,901 km² and a population of 184,030 at the 2006 census....
- ArgunguArgunguArgungu is a city in Nigeria's Kebbi State, situated on the Sokoto River. As of 2007 Argungu had an estimated population of 47,064.The city is the seat of the Argungu Emirate, a traditional state....
- AugieAugieAugie is a Local Government Area in Kebbi State, Nigeria. Its headquarters are in the town of Augie.Towns in the area include Bagaye, Birnin Tudu, Bubuce, Illela. The area is primarily agricultural producing sugar cane, mango,banana etc...
- BagudoBagudoBagudo is a Local Government Area in Kebbi State, Nigeria, sharing a boundary with the Republic of Benin. Its headquarters are in the town of Bagudo.It has an area of 4,782 km² and a population of 237,817 at the 2006 census....
- Birnin KebbiBirnin KebbiBirnin Kebbi is a city located in northwestern Nigeria. It is the capital city of Kebbi State and headquarters of the Gwandu Emirate. As of 2007 the city has an estimated population of 115,547....
- BunzaBunzaBunza is a Local Government Area in Kebbi State, Nigeria. Its headquarters are in the town of Bunza.It has an area of 876 km² and a population of 121,461 at the 2006 census.The postal code of the area is 862....
- DandiDandi, NigeriaDandi is a Local Government Area in Kebbi State, Nigeria, sharing a boundary with the Republic of Niger. Its headquarters are in the town of Kamba.It has an area of 2,003 km² and a population of 144,273 at the 2006 census....
- FakaiFakaiFakai is a Local Government Area in Kebbi State, Nigeria. Its headquarters are in the town of Mahuta.It has an area of 2,247 km² and a population of 121,212 at the 2006 census.The postal code of the area is 872....
- GwanduGwanduGwandu, also called Gando, is a town and emirate in Kebbi State, Nigeria. The seat of government for the emirate and district of this name is in Birnin Kebbi, which is the capital of Kebbi State and was capital of the historical Kingdom of Kebbi...
- JegaJega, NigeriaJega is a Local Government Area in Kebbi State, Nigeria. Its headquarters are in the town of Jega.It has an area of 891 km² and a population of 193,352 at the 2006 census.The postal code of the area is 863....
- KalgoKalgoKalgo is a Local Government Area in Kebbi State, Nigeria. Its headquarters are in the town of Kalgo.It has an area of 1,173 km² and a population of 85,403 at the 2006 census.The postal code of the area is 862....
- Koko/BesseKoko/BesseKoko/Besse is a Local Government Area in Kebbi State, Nigeria. Its headquarters are in the town of Koko/Besse.It has an area of 1,299 km² and a population of 154,605 at the 2006 census.The postal code of the area is 871....
- MaiyamaMaiyamaMaiyama is a Local Government Area in Kebbi State, Nigeria. Its headquarters are in the town of Maiyama.It has an area of 1,028 km² and a population of 175,686 at the 2006 census.The postal code of the area is 863....
- NgaskiNgaskiNgaski is a Local Government Area in Kebbi State, Nigeria, on the shores of Kainji Lake. Its headquarters are in the town of Wara.It has an area of 2,633 km² and a population of 124,766 at the 2006 census.The postal code of the area is 870....
- SakabaSakabaSakaba is a Local Government Area in Kebbi State, Nigeria. Its headquarters are in the town of Sakaba.It has an area of 1,260 km² and a population of 89,937 at the 2006 census.The postal code of the area is 872....
- ShangaShanga, NigeriaShanga is a Local Government Area in Kebbi State, Nigeria. Its headquarters are in the town of Shanga.It has an area of 1,642 km² and a population of 127,146 at the 2006 census.The postal code of the area is 870....
- SuruSuru, NigeriaSuru is a Local Government Area in Kebbi State, Nigeria. Its headquarters are in the town of Dakingari.It has an area of 1,352 km² and a population of 150,230 at the 2006 census.The postal code of the area is 862....
- Wasagu/DankoWasagu/DankoWasagu/Danko is a Local Government Area in Kebbi State, Nigeria. Its headquarters are in the town of Ribah.It has an area of 4,016 km² and a population of 265,203 at the 2006 census.The postal code of the area is 872....
- YauriYauri, NigeriaYauri is an emirate in Nigeria's Kebbi State, occupying the Yauri Local Government Area. Today, Yauri is one of the smallest historical emirates in Northern Nigeria...
- ZuruZuruZuru is a Local Government Area in Kebbi State, Nigeria. Its headquarters is in the town of Zuru.It is also the Headquarters of Zuru Emirate. The Emirate comprised four local government areas, namely: Danko-Wasagu, Fakai, Sakaba and Zuru....
Demographics
Kebbi State is mainly populated by Hausa peopleHausa people
The Hausa are one of the largest ethnic groups in West Africa. They are a Sahelian people chiefly located in northern Nigeria and southeastern Niger, but having significant numbers living in regions of Cameroon, Ghana, Cote d'Ivoire, Chad and Sudan...
, with some members of Bussawa, Dukawa, Kambari and Kamuku ethnic communities.
