Jigawa State

Jigawa State (Hausa: Jihar Jigawa) is one the 36 states of Nigeria, located in the northern region of the country. Created in 1991 from the northeastern-most region of Kano State, Jigawa State is located on the border with Nigeria’s national border with the Republic of the Niger. The state capital and largest city is Dutse.

The eighth largest state by population, residents of Jigawa State are predominantly of Hausa or Fulani background.[4] The vast majority of residents of Jigawa State are Muslim,[5] and is one of the twelve states in the country to be governed by Sharia law. Jigawa State is famous for the Dutsen Habude cave paintings in the town of Birnin Kudu, which have been dated back to the Neolithic period.[6][7] The town of Hadejia (formerly Biram) is notable as being one of the traditional “seven true Hausa states”.[8]

The Jigawa State economy remains largely dependent on agriculture. Due to state’s semi-arid climate, outward migration by workers to neighboring states such as Kano State in search of off-season work is common.[9] Scarcity of arable land within the state has become increasingly problematic in recent years, with arable farmland increasingly vulnerable to national disasters like flooding.[10] As a result, tensions between farmers and nomadic Fulani herdsmen over arable land have turned violent in recent years.[11]