The former Niger state governor, Alhaji Abubakar Sani Bello hails from Kontagora.

[citation needed] Kontagora was founded by Umaru Nagwamatse, who after conquering a large amount of land owned by non-Muslim Kambaris.

In 1899, Ibrahim captured the town of Birnin Gwari, causing the emirate of Zaria to get help from the British.

[2] In 1904 an expedition caused the hitherto independent tribes in the northern belt to submit; they had up to that time blocked the road to Sokoto.

Their arms were confiscated and their country organized as a district of the province under a chief and a British assistant resident.