| Maiduguri | |
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Maiduguri
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| Country | Nigeria |
| State | Borno State |
Maiduguri, also fondly called Yerwa by its locals, is the capital and the largest city of Borno State in north-eastern Nigeria. The city sits along the seasonal Ngadda River which disappears into the Firki swamps in the areas around Lake Chad.[1] Maiduguri was founded in 1907 as a military outpost by the British and has since grown rapidly with a population exceeding 1 million by 2007.
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The region was home to the Kanem-Bornu Empire for centuries. Maiduguri actually consists of two cities: Yerwa to the West and Old Maiduwuri to the east. Old Maiduwuri was selected by the British as their military headquarters while Yerwa was selected at approximately the same time by Shehu Abubakar Garbai of Borno to replace Kukawa as the new traditional capital of the Kanuri people.[1]
Maiduguri is estimated to have a population of 1,197,497 by 2009 as of 2007.[2]. Its residents are mostly Muslim including Kanuri, Shuwa, Bura,Marghi, and Fulani ethnic groups. There is also a considerable Christian population.
Maiduguri is home to two markets, a museum and is served by the Maiduguri International Airport. Maiduguri has one of the best-equipped universities and hospitals in Nigeria, the University of Maiduguri. It is home to the El-Kanemi Warriors, a football team.
Maiduguri is the principal trading hub for northeastern Nigeria. Its economy is largely based on services and trade with a small share of manufacturing. The city lies at the end of a railway line connecting Port Harcourt, Enugu, Kafanchan, Kuru, Bauchi, and finally Maiduguri.[3]
Several times since the mid 1960s, Maidugri has witnessed outbreaks of large scale ethnic or religious violence. Ethnic and political rivalries caused rioting between rival political supporters in 1966 and 1974, while members of religious sects led intercomunal violence in 1982 and 2001.[4][5] On 18 February 2006, riots related to the Prophet Muhammad cartoons published by the Danish newspaper Jyllands-Posten left at least 15 people dead, and resulted in the destruction of approximately 12 churches. Soldiers and police quelled the riots, and the government temporarily imposed a curfew.[6][7]
Maiduguri was also a scene of major religious violence throughout Northeast Nigeria committed by an Islamist group, Boko Haram, in July 2009, leaving over 700 people dead.
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