The Bauchi Emirate was founded by Fula in the early 19th century in what is now Bauchi State, Nigeria, with its capital in Bauchi. The emirate came under British "protection" in the colonial era, and is now denoted a traditional state.
Before the Fulani jihad the Bauchi region was inhabited by a large number of small tribes, some of whom spoke languages related to Hausa, and some of whom were Muslims. The province of Bauchi was conquered between 1809 and 1818 by Fula warriors led by one Yakoba, the son of a local Jarawa ruler who had been educated at Sokoto and had studied under Usman dan Fodio.
The emirate remained under Fula rule until 1902 when a British expedition occupied the capital without fighting. The British abolished the slave trade, which had flourished until then, and appointed a new emir, who died a few months later. In 1904 the emir who had succeeded took the oath of allegiance to the British crown.
Rulers of the Bauchi state, titled Lamido, were:
Bauchi (earlier Yakoba) is a city in northeast Nigeria, the capital of Bauchi State, of the Bauchi Local Government Area within that State, and of the traditional Bauchi Emirate. It is located on the northern edge of the Jos Plateau, at an elevation of 616 m. The city has a population of 301,284 (2012). The Local Government Area covers an area of 3,687 km2 and had a population of 493,810 at the time of the 2006 Census.
The city was founded by Yaqub ibn Dadi, the only non-Fulani flag-bearer of the Sokoto Empire. The name was derived from a hunter called Baushe, who advised Yaqub to build his city west of the Warinje mountain. In return Yaqub promised to name his city after the hunter.
Abubakar Tafawa Balewa is buried in the city, while the Yankari National Park is 110 km from the state capital. The city lies on the Port Harcourt – Maiduguri railway line. The Bauchi State Library Board was established in 1976.
In July 2009, attacks in Bauchi by Boko Haram following the arrest of some of its members resulted in over 50 people killed and over 100 arrested.