Birnin Kebbi
About
Birnin Kebbi is a city in northwestern Nigeria and the capital of Kebbi State. It is also the headquarters of the Gwandu Emirate and serves as the headquarters of Birnin Kebbi Local Government Area, which has an estimated population of 366,200 (2016 est.) according to the article. The city is a collecting point for groundnuts and rice and a major local market centre for millet, sorghum, rice, fish, goats and cattle. The city is home to a state polytechnic college, a government rice-research station, several hospitals and medical facilities, and is served by Sir Ahmadu Bello International Airport. Its Hausa and Fulani inhabitants are mostly Muslims.
History
Birnin Kebbi was formerly the capital of the Kebbi Emirate, which relocated to Argungu after the conquest by Gwandu in 1831. The town was burned in the Fulani jihad by Abdullahi dan Fodio in 1805. After being incorporated into the Fulani Emirate of Gwandu, it was eclipsed in importance by Gwandu town and by Jega, but Birnin Kebbi served as the Gwandu emirate headquarters after Emir Haliru was inaugurated there in 1906. Birnin Kebbi became the capital of the newly created Nigerian state of Kebbi in 1991. Although it has declined as a river port because of silting and political conditions, it remains an important market and collection centre.
Source: Wikipedia: Birnin Kebbi
Key Facts
State
Kebbi State
Area
1,037 km²
Population
458,900