Ibrahim IV was a titled Sultan of the Kanuri state of Bornu from 1817 to 1846.
Ibrahim's father, and previous ruler of Bornu, had called on Muhammad al-Amin al-Kanemi or El-Kanemi, an Islamic scholar and warrior, to help him fight against the Fulanis and their leader Goni Mukhtar.
In the process, El-Kanemi grew powerful and was a threat to the ruling Sefawa dynasty which had produced Ibrahim and his father, Dunama IX Lefiami.
Ibrahim and Umar became enmeshed in a battle of supremacy and they renewed hostilities between the Kanemis and the Sefawas.
However, Umar knew about the plan before had and killed Ibrahim before fleeing Bornu, continuing the assault on the Safawa dynasty.