Katsina State

Katsina State (Hausa: Jihar Katsina) (Fula: Leydi Katsina ????? ??????) is a state in the northwestern geopolitical zone of Nigeria. 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.

Katsina State was created in 1987, when it split from Kaduna State. 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 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 current Governor of Katsina State is Aminu Bello Masari, a member of the All Progressives Congress and ally of President Muhammadu Buhari. The state is considered a political stronghold of Buhari, a native of Daura, who won the state in the 2019 presidential election with almost 80% of the vote.

In recent years, Katsina has been one of the Nigerian states hit hardest by terrorism. In 2020, over 300 children were kidnapped by the terrorist group Boko Haram in the town of Kankara.

Notable people from Katsina State

• 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 29 May 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.

Geography

Katsina State is about . It is situated on latitude between 110° 07' 49N' 130 2257" and Longitude 6052'03East and 990 02' East. The state is from the tropical grassland known as savannah to the north and the state has two major seasons which are the rainy season and dry season.

Electoral system

The governor of each state is selected using a modified two-round system. To be elected in the first round, a candidate must receive the plurality of the vote and over 25% of the vote in at least two -third of the State local government Areas. If no candidate passes threshold, a second round will be held between the top candidate and the next candidate to have received a plurality of votes in the highest number of local government Areas.