The state was created on Tuesday August 27, 1991, when the Federal Military Government under the General Ibrahim Babangida announced the creation of nine additional states in the country bringing the total number of states then to thirty. The announcement was given a legal backing through the; State Creation and Transitional Provisions Decree No. 37 of 1991.
Excised from Kano State it covers a total land area of about 22,410sq Km. It is bordered on the West by Kano State, on the East by Bauchi and Yobe States and on the North by Katsina and Yobe States and the Republic of Niger.
...A New World
The State
Ethnic Composition
Administrative Structure
Traditional Structure
Ethnic Composition
The state is mainly populated by the Hausa, Fulani and the Mangawa, Badawa and Ngizimawa which are dialects of the kanuri language. They constitute significant percentages in Birniwa, Guri and Kiri kasamma local government areas. There are other settled tribes both from within and outside Nigeria inhibiting in almost all the local Government areas of the state with the highest concentration in the state capital.
Administrative Structure
With a centrally controlled Government from the state capital Dutse, the state has twenty seven (27) local government council’s three senatorial Districts, eleven Federal constituencies and thirty (30) state assembly constituencies as enshrined in the 1999 constitution of the federal Republic of Nigeria.
As presently constituted by the 1999 constitution, the Executive arm is headed by the state Governor, Malam Umar A. Namadi,FCA as the chief Executive elected under the All Progressive Congress (APC) and is principally in charge of day to day running of its affairs with his deputy Egrn. Aminu Ahmed and members of the state Executive council assisting. The Legislature which is responsible for law making is headed by the Speaker Honorable Haruna Aliyu (Dan gyatin) with other House leaders supporting him while the Judiciary charged with interpreting laws has the chief Judge, Justice Aminu Sabo as the State Chief Judge and is equally the chairman of the state judicial service commission.
Traditional Structure
The state is divided into Five Emirates each administered by a traditional ruler called Emir (sarki) with District Heads, Village Heads and Ward Heads assisting them. The Emirs and District Heads, unlike other public functionaries, do not exercise political power but serve as custodians of culture and advisers to the Government on traditional and religious affairs. All the Emirs are first class title holders.