ASSESSING LAND USE LAND COVER CHANGE USING GIS AND REMOTE SENSING APPROACH IN DAMATURU YOBE STATE

This paper assessed the Changes in land cover distribution in Damaturu the state capital of Yobe state, Nigeria over 26-year period. The study used satellite imagery of Landsat TM (1988), Landsat 8 2014 Landsat and ETM+ (2003) for the study area and aerial photograph for 2008 as well as population data. The satellite imageries undergo general pre-processing procedures, classification and eventually change detection using ERDAS Imagine 2013, the imageries and maps were also digitized using ArcMap 10.0 GIS software for analysis. The results show that vegetation covered 13.37 square kilometres of the land area and constituted 44.54% in 1988 and 7.01 square kilometer which represent 20.90% in 2003 which also constituted the most extensive land cover type in the study area in 1988. The built-up areas have increased from 1.59 square kilometer which is 5.29% in 1988 to 5.38 square kilometer which represent 16.04% in 2003. The change was however, attributed to the increasing population and economic growth that put pressure on the available land resources. This paper highlights the land cover/use types, the change over the years and the causes of the change. The significance of remote sensing and GIS approach in mapping, monitoring, detecting and controlling change were also highlighted.