Of the native languages in Yobe State, Potiskum is home to several major groups which include the Karai-Karai, Ngizim and Hausa-Fulani.

[4] Potiskum has been a thriving trade hegemony in Yobe State because of its strategic position as a centre of commerce, learning, spiritual and cultural revival.

People from neighbouring Borno, Jigawa, Kano, Bauchi and Gombe States, and numerous others from Niger, Chad, Cameroon, Benin and Central African Republic have stakes in the 'biggest cattle market in sub-Saharan Africa' there.

The airport came into being during the scramble for Africa by the colonialists because Potiskum was a sprawling town in the north which was earlier annexed by Germany before the United Kingdom took over.

On 3 November 2014, at least 30 people were killed in a suicide bombing at a Shia Muslim religious procession at Faydia Islamic school.

)[15][14] On 10 November 2014 at least 46 boys were killed and 79 wounded, by a suicide bomber during a student assembly at the Government Senior Science Secondary School.

"[16][17][18] On 11 January 2015, four people were killed and over 40 were injured at Kasuwar Jagwal G.S.M market after an attack by two female suicide bombers, one of whom appeared to be about 15 years old.

[21] On 13 January 2015, Governor Ibrahim Gaidam condemned the attacks, and "proposed the establishment of an Emergency Response Centre at the General Hospital in Potiskum."