KABBA, a province of Northern Nigeria, British West Africa. Area 10,577 sq.m. ; pop. (1931) 462,726. The province is riverine ; in it is the junction of the Niger and Benue. A small part lies north of this junction ; south of the confluence, Kabba is divided into two roughly equal portions by the Niger. Most of the prov ince lies over 1,000 ft. above sea level. It has many fertile valleys and belts of thick forest. It includes the Idah division of the former Munshi province, added to Kabba in 1926. Idah lies east of the Niger and south of the Benue ; it forms a native state, the ruling chief being styled Attah. West of the Niger is the Igbirra district, also under an Attah. These two pagan negro states, in which, however, there are strong Christian missions, with many adherents, are efficiently governed. North of Igbirra is Kabba proper. Under Fula rule the armies of Bida regularly raided Kabba for slaves and laid waste the country. Both the Idah and the Igbirra people are industrious, and cotton, tobacco, indigo and many food crops are grown. The sylvan products include palm
oil, kolas, shea and rubber.
Lokoja, a town situated at the Niger-Benue confluence was the centre from which British penetration of Northern Nigeria began. The site was ceded to the British government in 1841 by the Attah of Idah, but the first British settlement was a failure. In MacGregor Laird sent thither W. B. Baikie, who was successful in dealing with the natives and in 1857 became the first British consul in the interior. The town of Lokoja was founded by him in 1860. In 1868 the consulate was abolished and the settlement was left wholly to commgrcial interests. In 1886 the Royal Niger company made Lokoja its military centre and under crown gov ernment it was the first capital (190o-1902) of Northern Nigeria. Kabba town, 3o m. W. by N. of Lokoja, is a thriving place. The trunk road systems of the northern and southern provinces of Nigeria join in Kabba province, which has also a regular passenger and goods service of steamers on the Niger.