Katsina, usually referred to as Katsina State to distinguish it from the city of Katsina, is a state in North West zone of Nigeria. Its capital is Katsina, and its Governor is Aminu Bello Masari, a member of the All Progressives Congress. In 1987, Katsina State was formed from part of Kaduna State.
The Hausa people (sometimes grouped with the Fulani as Hausa-Fulani) are the largest ethnic group.
The state is predominantly Muslim, and Gobarau Minaret is an important building. Sharia is valid in the entire state. The Church of Nigeria has a Diocese of Katsina. The Redeemed Christian Church of God and the Roman Catholic Church are fairly present in the state.
Katsina State consists of thirty-four (34) Local Government Areas. They are:
Katsina State is a centre of both formal and informal education. Currently it has Federal College of Education, Katsina; Hassan Usman Katsina Polytechnic, Katsina; Federal University of Agriculture, Dutsinma; Katsina State University, which was renamed after the late President Umaru Musa Yar'adua University; AlQalam University Katsina; Yusufu Bala Usman College of Legal, and General Studies, Daura and the School of Basic and Remedial Studies, Funtua(SBRS/ABU Funtua)
Muhammadu Buhari, Military Head of State 1983-1985, Chairman PTF and President of Nigeria since May 29, 2015
Muhammadu Dikko, Emir of Katsina 1906-1944.
Ibrahim Coomassie, Inspector General of Police 1993-1999
Mohammed Bello, former Chief Justice of the Supreme Court
Shehu Musa Yar'Adua, politician, major general and Military Vice President 1976-1979
Faruk Umar Faruk CON, Current and 60th Emir of Daura
Sani Ahmed Daura, Lagos State commissioner of police 1990, and first Governor of Yobe State 1991–1992
Sheikh Ja'afar Mahmud Adam, Salafist Islamic scholar aligned with the Izala Society
Lawal Musa Daura, Director General of the Nigerian State Security Service
Habu Daura, Commissioner of Police and he was the acting Administrator of Bayelsa State, from February to June 1997
Umaru Musa Yar'Adua, Governor of the State 1999-2007, and President of Nigeria 2007-2010
Tajudeen Abdul-Raheem, Pan-Africanist, Oxford Rhodes Scholar and Former Deputy Director of United Nations Millennium Campaign for Africa 1961-2009
Hamza Rafindadi Zayyad, former head of the Technical Committee on Privatization and Commercialization
Abdulmuminu Kabir Usman, Emir of Katsina
Isa Kaita, first northern Nigeria minister of education and speaker of the house of parliament
Hassan Usman Katsina, Military governor of the northern region 1966-1967.
Sani Zangon Daura, Federal Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development 1999 – 2000, Federal Minister of Environment 2000 – 2001
Mohammed Tukur Liman former majority leader of the Nigerian Senate.
Mamman Shata a well-known Hausa griot/musician.
Aminu Bello Masari former speaker house of representatives 2003 to 2007 and current Governor of the State
Mahmud Kanti Bello, Former Chief Whip of the Senate
Muhammadu Dikko Yusufu Inspector General of Police from 1975 to 1979
Abba Musa Rimi, Governor of Kaduna State 1980 - 1983
Lawal Kaita, Governor of Kaduna State 1983
Umar Farouk Abdulmutallab, sentenced to life imprisonment in the United States for attempting to bomb Northwest Airlines Flight 253 on Christmas Day, 2009.
