Damaturu
LGA and city
Damaturu
Coordinates: 11°44′40″N 11°57′40″E / 11.74444°N 11.96111°E / 11.74444; 11.96111
Country	Nigeria
State	Yobe State
Government
• Local Government Chairman	Bukar Adamu (APC)
Area
• Total	2,366 km2 (914 sq mi)
Population  (2006 census)
• Total	88,014
• Estimate  (2022[1])	137,900
• Density	37/km2 (96/sq mi)
Time zone	UTC+1 (WAT)
3-digit postal code prefix	620
ISO 3166 code	NG.YO.DA

Damaturu is a Local Government Area and the capital city of Yobe State in northern Nigeria.^[2] It is the headquarters of the Damaturu Emirate.^[3]

History

Damaturu came into existence as a colony when it was carved out of the Alagarno district by the British. It resulted in the conquest of the Bornu Empire in 1902 by colonial forces under the command of Colonel Thomas Morland.

Boko Haram

Damaturu has been attacked many times by Boko Haram jihadist insurgents in their violent campaign to establish a caliphate in the northeast.^[4]

In November 2011, they killed over 100 people in a series of attacks.

In December 2011, they carried out two bombings.

In June 2012, 40 insurgents broke into a prison. 40 inmates escaped and eight people were killed.

In June 2013, insurgents attacked a school and killed thirteen people, including students and teachers.^[5]

In October 2013, militants engaged security forces in a lengthy gun battle and raided a hospital.^[6]

In December 2014, militants carried out attacks again. Gunshots and explosions were heard and a base of the riot police was reported to have been set on fire. Yobe State University also came under attack.^[7]

In February 2015, a teenage female suicide bomber killed 16 people at a bus station.

In February 2020, a massacre occurred in Auno on the Damaturu-Maiduguri highway. Insurgents killed 30 commuters, burned vehicles and kidnapped people.^[8][9][10]

Geography

The postal code of the area is 620.^[11] The Local Government Area has an area of 2,366 km² and a population of 88,014 at the 2006 census.^[3]

The town of Damaturu is on the A3 highway and in 2010 had an estimated population of 44,268. ^[12]

The northeasterly line of equal latitude and longitude passes through the area, including 12°00′00″N 12°00′00″E / 12.00000°N 12.00000°E / 12.00000; 12.00000 in the north.

Climate

The rainy season in Damaturu is scorching, oppressive, and primarily cloudy, whereas the dry season is unpleasant, windy, and partly cloudy. The average annual temperature ranges from 58 to 104 degrees Fahrenheit, with 52 and 109 degrees Fahrenheit being extremely rare.^[13][14][15] The greatest time of year to visit Damaturu for warm-weather activities, according to the tourist score, is from mid-December to early February.

Average Temperature in Damaturu

From 12 March to 23 May, the hot season, with an average daily high temperature exceeding 100°F, lasts for 2.4 months. In Damaturu, April is the hottest month of the year, with an average high of 104°F and low of 76°F.

From 18 July to 26 September, the cool season, which has an average daily high temperature below 90°F, lasts for 2.3 months. In Damaturu, January is the coldest month of the year, with an average low of 58°F and high of 90°F.^[16]