Sokoto State was created in 1976 by the regime of General Murtala Mohammed. The state came into existence following the split of the defunct North-West State.
At Nigeria’s independence in 1960, the area now known as Sokoto State was part of the Northern Region, which existed as one of the three regions of Nigeria until 1963, and as one of the four regions of Nigeria from 1963 till 1966
The regime of Major General JTU Aguiyi Ironsi, which came to power via coup in 1966 dissolved the regional system and replaced it with a unitary, provincial system. The four regions became four provinces. The area now known as Sokoto State was in the Northern Province.
In 1967, a counter coup brought to power the regime of General Yakubu Gowon. The new regime quickly dissolved the provincial system put in place by the previous regime and replaced it with a twelve state federal structure. Six states were created out of the Northern Province. The North-West State, which the area now known as Sokoto State was part of, was one of these six states.
In 1976, the regime of General Murtala Ramat Mohammed embarked on another state creation round. This time, the North-West State, which the area now known as Sokoto State was part of, was split into two states. Sokoto State was one of the two states formed from this split.
Sokoto State was not touched at the next state creation round embarked upon by the regime of General Ibrahim Babangida in 1987.
The story was however not the same in 1991 when Babangida’s regime excised the south-western half of the state to form Kebbi State.
Again, in 1996, the regime of General Sani Abacha carved out the south-eastern half of Sokoto State to form Zamfara State, leaving Sokoto State as presently constituted.
Colonel Umaru Mohammed is the first military governor of Sokoto State, while Shehu Kangiwa is the first civilian governor.
