Traditional Rulers — pre-colonial polities (pre-1879)#
Jigawa is the historic seat of three deep Hausa-Manga civilisations: the Hausa city-state of Kazaure (founded 1818 by Dambo, a Fulani jihadist), the Emirate of Hadejia (the older Biram kingdom — one of the Hausa Bakwai "seven true Hausa states" of legend, founded by Bayajidda's son Biram c. 1000; refounded as a jihad emirate 1808), the Emirate of Gumel (founded c. 1750 by the Manga branch of the Kanuri — the only Bornu-Kanuri emirate in present-day Jigawa), the Emirate of Ringim (Hausa), and the Birnin-Kudu / Dutse territories under Kano. The Ningi Confederacy (1846–1903) raided across southern Jigawa. The Hadejia jihad under Sambo (Buhari Dan Sambo) — the so-called "Mahdi of Hadejia" — fought a 1848–1863 secession war against Sokoto, killed eventually by Sokoto forces 1863. Reigning Emir of Dutse: HRM Alh. Nuhu Muhammadu Sanusi. Emir of Hadejia: HRM Alh. Adamu Abubakar Maje. Emir of Kazaure: HRM Alh. Najib Hussaini Adamu. Emir of Gumel: HRM Alh. Ahmadu Muhammadu Sani II. Emir of Ringim: HRM Alh. Sayyadi Abubakar Mahmud.
Colonial era (1900–1960)#
Territory taken in the 1903 Kano-Sokoto Campaign under Lugard. Sat in Kano Province of the Northern Protectorate, then Northern Region (1939–67). Indirect rule preserved the four emirates intact.
Northern Region Premier (1954–1966)#
- 1954–1966 — Sir Ahmadu Bello, Sardauna of Sokoto (NPC).
Kano State military Governors (1967–1991) — parent state#
Jigawa sat in Kano State from creation (27 May 1967) until 27 August 1991. See Kano entry for the 1967–91 Kano roster (Audu Bako, Sani Bello, Sabo Bakin Zuwo civilian, Hamza Abdullahi, etc.). • 1979–1983 — Alhaji Abubakar Rimi (PRP, Kano civilian Governor) — Jigawa LGAs were within Kano. • 1983 — Alhaji Sabo Bakin Zuwo (PRP, briefly) — sacked by 31 Dec 1983 coup.
Jigawa State military Administrators (1991–1999)#
Jigawa State excised from Kano 27 August 1991 by Babangida (capital Dutse). • 1991–1992 — Group Capt. Salisu Aliyu Othman (founding Military Administrator). • 1992–1993 — Alhaji Ali Sa'ad Birnin Kudu (SDP) — Third Republic civilian Governor. • 1993–1996 — Lt. Col. Mohammed Sani Bello / Col. Salisu Othman. • 1996–1998 — Col. Mohammed Suleiman Aliyu. • 1998–1999 — Group Capt. Mohammed Sani Garba.
Fourth Republic civilian Governors & Deputies (1999–present)#
| Tenure | Governor | Deputy | Party | Notes | |---|---|---|---|---| | 1999–2007 | Ibrahim Saminu Turaki | Bashir Mu'azu Sani | APP/ANPP | Two terms; later faced EFCC trial on ₦36bn charge. | | 2007–2015 | Alh. Sule Lamido | Ahmed Mahmud Gumel (2007–11) / Ahmadu Sule | PDP | Two terms; former Foreign Minister 1999–2003; G7 anti-Jonathan governor 2013; later EFCC trial. | | 2015–2023 | Alh. Muhammadu Badaru Abubakar | Ibrahim Hassan Hadejia | APC | Two terms; chair Nigeria Governors' Forum APC caucus; later Defence Minister 2023–. | | 2023–present | Alh. Umar Namadi (Danmodi) | Aminu Usman | APC | Former Jigawa Finance Commissioner under Badaru. |
Sources & gaps#
Last, *The Sokoto Caliphate* (1967); Lovejoy & Hogendorn, *Slow Death for Slavery* (1993) on Hadejia; NPC Kano / Jigawa gazettes; INEC 1999–2023; *EFCC v Turaki* (FHC Kano).