Kukawa
About
Kukawa is a town and Local Government Area in the northeastern Nigerian state of Borno, close to Lake Chad. The local government area is one of the sixteen LGAs that make up the Borno Emirate, and the town is historically notable as a former imperial capital.
History
Kukawa was founded as Kuka in 1814 by Muhammad al-Amin al-Kanemi, a military leader and religious scholar serving the Kanem–Bornu Empire. It served as the imperial capital of the Kanem–Bornu Empire from 1846 to 1893, after being rebuilt by Umar Kura. The town was captured and destroyed by Rabih az-Zubayr in May 1893, and later attempts by the British to revive it as a seat for shehu Abubakar Garbai failed; he moved his residence to Yerwa (modern-day Maiduguri) in 1907. In recent years the area has been affected by insurgency and insecurity linked to Boko Haram, with significant displacement of residents.
Source: Wikipedia: Kukawa
Key Facts
State
Borno State
Headquarters
Kukawa
Established
1814
Population
203,864 (2006)