Gombe, Nigeria

Capital city of Gombe State, Nigeria

Gombe (Fula: Gelle/Wuro Gombe 𞤺𞤫𞥅𞤤𞥆𞤫/𞤱𞤵𞥅𞤪𞤮 𞤺𞤮𞤥𞤥𞤦𞤫) is the capital city of Gombe State, north eastern Nigeria, with an estimated population of around 450,000. The major spoken languages in Gombe are Hausa and Fulfulɗe, Tera and Tangale.

Gombe State is populated by the Fulani people, constituting more than half of the state's population. Other ethnic groups include the Bolewa, Tera, Waja, and Hausa people.

The current Local Government Chairman is Alh Ali Ashaka.

Gombe is served by Gombe Lawanti International Airport, and by a station on the eastern mainline of the national railway network and Gombe Line Terminal in mid city. On 1 Feb., President Goodluck Jonathan announced that the Gombe Kafancha Kaduna intercity train services had been "rehabilitated", saying "the inauguration of the train services was crucial to the growth and development of the Gombe and other adjoining states." "Minister of Transport, Idris Umar flagged off the Gombe Kafanchan Port Harcourt and Gombe Kafanchan Kaduna intercity train services."

Gombe, as Gombe State capital, is the home of the notable Gombe State University (GSU) located at Shamaki ward, Tudun Wada, Gombe. The University was established during the then government of Governor Danjuma Goje in 2004. Making it the first University in the State. Also, in Gombe is Federal College of Education (Technical), Gombe. Another state run tertiary institution in Gombe is the College of Nursing and Midwifery Gombe State, which is situated in Jekadefari. Moreover, the College of Medical Sciences is also located in Gombe. Additionally, Gombe is home to a number of public and private elementary and secondary institutions, including MATRIX International Academy, Gombe Central, Government Science Secondary School, Government Day Secondary School (Pilot), and Pen Resource Academy, to name a few.

Farming is the main source of income for the inhabitants of Gombe State. Maize, millet, Guinea corn, rice, cotton, groundnut, beans, Beni seed, and other food and cash crops are farmed in the state. Livestock rearing is also common in the state. Tudun Hatsi is a notable market where grain business thrives in Gombe local government. The market generates huge revenue to the local government and the state in general. The Gombe Urban Market, also known as (Babbar kasuwa) in Hausa, is located in the Herwagana ward of Gombe Local Government. The state's geographical location and friendly economy make it a commercial area where entrepreneurs, even neighboring states, have their SMEs established. These SMEs have been the source of employment and income generation to many individuals

Gombe town's unusual location in the heart of the North East has made it a popular resting and gathering spot for travelers and traders from all over the geopolitical zone and beyond. In 2008 an agreement was reached "to set up anti venom manufacturing plant in Kaltungo General Hospital in Gombe," and provide medical training for snakebite patients. The Gombe State government ordered an additional N4 million in anti venom for the hospital in 2009, due to a local increase in snakebites.

Gombe is also home to the new Pantami Stadium, a 12000 capacity sporting complex erected in 2010 by the then Governor Danjuma Goje's administration to help the state's sports growth. It replaced the earlier Abubakar Umar Memorial Stadium and is home to Gombe United F. C. and Gombe Bulls, the 2017 Nigerian Premier League runners up (basketball).

Gombe has been impacted by jihadist group Boko Haram's insurgency, having been attacked several times in the mid 2010s. On 22 December 2014, a suicide bombing at a bus station killed over 20 people. On 1 January 2015, a suicide bomber attacked a New Year's Eve service at a church, injuring several people. On 14 January 2015, a suicide bomber killed two people and left 14 wounded at a Gombe mosque. On 2 February 2015, just minutes after a campaign rally by President Goodluck Johnathan, an attack by a female suicide bomber left one person dead and eighteen injured. Two blasts had occurred in the city the previous day, leaving five people dead. Local residents "have set up checkpoints to defend Gombe" according to the BBC.