Gumel is 120 miles northeast of Kano and 20 km south of the Niger border. Gumel had 44,158 residents in 2007. Gumel is a town and traditional emirate in northern Jigawa, Nigeria. Dan Juma of Kano and his Manga (Mangawa) tribal supporters created the emirate in 1750. After his death in 1754, it became a Bornu tributary.

The emirate survived Usman dan Fodio’s jihad (“holy war”) in the early 19th century and never joined the Fulani empire of Sokoto. Gumel’s capital was shifted from Tumbi to its current location in 1845.

Gumel’s emir, Abdullahi, was slain in combat with Hadejia in 1872. End-of-century Damagaram slave raids depopulated Gumel. Emir Ahmadu surrendered to the British in 1903, and Gumel became part of Kano. Since 1976, it’s been part of Jigawa state.

Gumel is the area’s principal market centre (millet and sorghum are staples), and a collection point for peanuts (groundnuts) trucked to Kano for rail export. Locally, scattered places mine limestone and diatomaceous earth.

The community features a farm-training centre and a teaching college. Gumel is a junction for local highways servicing northern Jigawa state, on a minor highway to Kano and Hadejia. Population (2006): 107,161

Dan Juma of Kano and the Mangawa clan created the emirate in 1750. After his death in 1754, it became a Bornu tributary. The emirate survived Usman dan Fodio’s jihad in the early 19th century and never joined Sokoto’s Fulani empire. Gumel moved from Tumbi, in present-day Niger, around 1845.

Since 1828, the emirate has battled Hadejia, Danzomo, Kano, and Zinder. Gumel’s emir Abdullahi fought Hadejia till 1872. Frequent slave invasions from Zinder were prevalent until Emir Ahmadu accepted British control in 1903. Since 1991, Gumel has been in Jigawa State, near Danzomo, Gagarawa, Sule Tankarkar, and Maigatari.

He is the 16th emir of Gumel. The emir studied political science at Ohio State University. Abdullahi Muhammad Sani II is a Michigan State University electrical engineering graduate.

Since 1981, he’s been emir. Only the emir, royal family members, and court officials can enter the emir’s palace (the emirate council, also called the Majlis).