The Slogan

Home of Hospitality

Date Of Creation

23 September 1987

Geography

Covering a total land mass of 24,192km, Katsina state is bounded in the east by Kano and Jigawa States, in the south by Kaduna state, in the west by Zamfara State and in the north by Niger Republic. Katsina State forms part of the extensive plains known as the High Plains of Hausaland

Brief History

Katsina State is a state in the northwestern geopolitical zone of Nigeria. Katsina State was created in 1987, when it split from Kaduna State. Today, Katsina State borders Kaduna, Zamfara, Kano, and Jigawa States. Nicknamed the “Home of Hospitality”, both the state capital and the town of Daura have been described “ancient seats of Islamic culture and learning” in Nigeria.

With over 5,800,000 residents as at 2006, Katsina State is the fifth largest state in the country by population, despite the fact that it only ranks 17th out of 36 states in terms of area. Demographically, the Hausa-Fulani people are the largest ethnic group in the state, and Islam is the most practiced religion. In 2005, Katsina became the fifth state in Nigeria to adopt Sharia law

The Local Government area

Katsina State comprises 34 local government areas:

Bakori
Batagarawa
Batsari
Baure
Bindawa
Charanchi
Dan Musa
Dandume
Danja
Daura
Dutsi
Dutsin-Ma
Faskari
Funtua
Ingawa
Jibia
Kafur
Kaita
Kankara
Kankia
Katsina
Kurfi
Kusada
Mai’Adua
Malumfashi
Mani
Mashi
Matazu
Musawa
Rimi
Sabuwa
Safana
Sandamu
Zango

The Governor

Aminu Bello Masari

The Deputy governor

Mannir Yakubu (APC)

The Senators

C: Kabir Barkiya (APC)
N: Ahmad Babba Kaita (APC)
S: Bello Mandiya (APC)

Representatives

Representative Abdullahi Musa Nuhu PDP Kaita/Jibia
Representative Aminu Bello Musari PDP Malum Fashi/Kafur
Representative Daura AdamuSaidu PDP Daura/Sandamu/Mai’Adua
Representative Funtua Lawal Ibrahim PDP Funtua/Dandume
Representative Makera Sabiu Hassan PDP Dutsin-ma/Kurfi
Representative Mashi Abdu Haro PDP Mashi/Dvisi
Representative Musa Aliyu PDP Mani/Bindawa
Representative Nadabo Tukur Idris PDP Bakori/Danja
Representative Nasarawa Usman Mani PDP Kankia/Ingawa/Kusada
Representative Safana Amina Yakubu PDP Safana/Batsari/Dan-Musa
Representative Shehu Abubakar Garba PDP Musawa/Matazu
Representative Tsagero Muazu Lemamu PDP Rimi/Charanchi/Batagarawa
Representative Yahaya Shuaib Baure PDP Baure/Zango
Representative Yankara Lawal Yusufu PDP Kankara/Sabuwa/Faskari
Representative Yar’adua Abubakar Sadiq PDP Katsina Central
Representative Abubakar Lamido Sadiq PDP Katsina North Central

The Website

http://www.katsinastate.gov.ng/

Major Cities

Katsina, Funtua, Daura, Bakori, Dutsi, Jibia, Bakori, and Zango.

Prominent Places

Katsina City Gate: Katsina city gate is a tourist attraction because of the wall that surrounds it with its seven different gates. The wall was built about 900 years ago during the reign of King Murabus.

Emir’s Palace, Daura: These palaces are tourist attractions because of their unique architectural structures. The palaces which were constructed with traditional building materials, depict northern Nigeria’s traditional architectural designs dated as far back as the early 19th Century.

Gobarau Minaret: The minaret which was said to have been built about 300 years ago was built of baked clay and mud and has been a thing of wonder to the inhabitants of the city. Legend has it that in those days, because of its height, it was used for surveillance purposes from where warriors could see enemies advancing on the ancient city.

Jibia Holiday Resort: Birnin Kudu is noted for the presence of rocks, fascinating are the ancient paintings on these rocks. The different paintings are eloquent information on the styles of the early settlers in the area.

Emir of Katsina Palace: The palace of Emir of Katsina is built in unique traditional architectural designs which attract tourists. It is decorated in white and green paints depicting national colours. The colourful festivities and Durbar on Salah days continue to attract thousands of tourists both within and outside the country.

Kusugu Well & Legendary Bayajida Sword: “Kusugu” is where a giant snake called “sarki” was killed with a sword by Bayajida in the 10th century AD because the snake only allowed Daura people then to draw water from the well once in a week. This heroic act by Bayajida made Daurama -the reigning queen of the time- to marry Bayajida who came from the middle east. The well and the sword are still intact and can be seen by tourists.

Katsina city Walls “Ganuwar Amina”: The wall in Katsina was built during the reign of Sarki Ali Murabus in the 15th century and seven gates associated with the wall are Kofar Yandaka, Kofar Guga, Kofar Kaura,Kofar Durbi, Kofar Sauri and Kofar Kwaya.

Old Katsina Teacher’s College: Built in 1922 with red-baked city mud and clay, this is the oldest teachers training college in the northern part of Nigeria and the college has produced prominent Nigerians like the late Prime Minister, Sir. Abubakar Tafawa Balewa and the Late Premier of Northern Nigeria Alhaji Sir, Ahmadu Bello as well as many others.

Mairuwa & Ajiwa Holiday Resorts: The holiday resorts of Mairuwa and Ajiwa lakes sites in Funtua and Katsina have recreational facilities for water sports such as boating, fishing, swimming etc.

Dan marina Tomb: This is a grave of the celebrated saint Dan marina, the famous 17th to early 18th century scholar.

Mineral Resources

gold, manganese, kaolin, asbestos, iron ore, copper, emerald.

population

Population (2006 census)
• Total 5,801,584

Postal Code

820001

Culture and tourism

 The legendary Kusugu well in which the snake called Sarki was slain serves as a major tourist attraction in Daura.  Durbar Celebration: The Durbar reflects the state’s cultural and historical dignity. It is a significant royal display of horsemanship mainly organized to mark important occasions and Sallah festivities. The Durbar is characterized by royal horsemen, dances and gorgeous – horses, trumpeters led by the Shehu, Emirs, District heads and other traditional title holders as the case may be

Notable People

Abba Musa Rimi, Governor of Kaduna State 1980–1983
Abdulmuminu Kabir Usman, Emir of Katsina
Aminu Bello Masari former speaker house of representatives 2003 to 2007 and current Governor of the State
Faruk Umar Faruk CON, Current and 60th Emir of Daura
Habu Daura, Commissioner of Police and he was the acting Administrator of Bayelsa State, from February to June 1997
Hamza Rafindadi Zayyad, former head of the Technical Committee on Privatization and Commercialization
Hassan Katsina, Military governor of the northern region 1966–1967.
Ibrahim Coomassie, Inspector General of Police 1993–1999
Ibrahim M. Ida, Senator for Katsina Central constituency of Katsina State, Nigeria, taking office on 29 May 2007 and member of All Progressive Congress APC
Ibrahim Shema, Governor of Katsina State 2007–2015
Isa Kaita, first northern Nigeria minister of education and speaker of the house of parliament
Ja’afar Mahmud Adam, Salafist Islamic scholar aligned with the Izala Society
Lawal Kaita, Governor of Kaduna State 1983
Lawal Musa Daura, Director General of the Nigerian State Security Service
Magaji Muhammed, former Minister of Internal affairs, former Minister of industries and former Nigerian Ambassador to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.
Mahmud Kanti Bello, Former Chief Whip of the Senate
Mamman Shata, a Hausa griot/musician.
Mohammed Bello, former Chief Justice of the Supreme Court
Mohammed Tukur Liman former majority leader of the Nigerian Senate.
Muhammadu Buhari, Military Head of State 1983–1985, Chairman PTF and President of Nigeria since May 29, 2015
Muhammadu Dikko Yusufu Inspector General of Police from 1975 to 1979
Muhammadu Dikko, Emir of Katsina 1906–1944.
Saddik Abdullahi Mahuta, former Chief Judge of Katsina State from 1991 to 2013 and the 11th Galadiman Katsina, District Head of Malumfashi.
Sani Ahmed Daura, Lagos State commissioner of police 1990, and first Governor of Yobe State 1991–1992
Sani Zangon Daura, Federal Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development 1999–2000, Federal Minister of Environment 2000 – 2001
Shehu Musa Yar’Adua, politician, major general and Military Vice President 1976–1979
Sunusi Mamman, a two time Vice Chancellor of Umaru Musa Yaradua University, Katsina.
Tajudeen Abdul-Raheem, Pan-Africanist, Oxford Rhodes Scholar and Former Deputy Director of United Nations Millennium Campaign for Africa 1961–2009
Umar Farouk Abdulmutallab, sentenced to life imprisonment in the United States for attempting to bomb Northwest Airlines Flight 253 on Christmas Day, 2009.
Umaru Musa Yar’Adua, Governor of the State 1999–2007, and President of Nigeria 2007–2010
Umaru Mutallab, business and banking veteran and also a former Minister of economic development.
Ummarun Dallaje was the 39th Islamic Leader of Katsina, the first Fulani emir, as well as the patriarch of the Dallazawa dynasty.
Yakubu Musa Katsina, Islamic scholar.

Languages

The Hausa-Fulani are the largest ethnic group

Institutions

Katsina State is a centre of both formal and informal education. Umaru Musa Yar’adua University is a public university owned by the state government. Al-Qalam University, the first Islamic university in Nigeria is privately owned. Federal University, Dutsin-Ma is owned by the federal government as well as Federal College of Education, Katsina (affiliated to Bayero University Kano. National Open University of Nigeria, Isa Kaita College of Education Dutsinma (affiliated to Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria), a state owned college of education. Cherish Institute Batsari, a privately owned university awarding degree in health courses.