Tidal Rhythmites Depositional System of the Cretaceous Yolde Formation of the Gongola Sub-basin Northern Benue Trough N. E. Nigeria

Facies evaluation carried out on the Yolde Formation at Gabukka locality in the Gongola Sub-basin of the Northern Benue Trough was aimed at enacting its paleo-depositional environment. The formation at this locality revealed an intercalated succession of massive bedded sandstone facies (Sm), planar crossbedded sandstone facies (Sp), ripple laminated sandstone facies (Sr), parallel laminated sandstone facies (Sl) and mudstone facies (Fm). These successions developed a thinning and thickening stratigraphic profile depicting periodic rhythmic signatures indicating deposits of tidal rhythmites. Thickening rhythmic packages are reflective of a spring tide whereas thinning phases are indicative of neap tide. These depositional sequences are genetic to intense tides conditions, thus an indexing a tide dominated oceanographic within the course of development of the Cretaceous Yolde Formation.