Muhammadu Attahiru I (died 1903) was the twelfthSultan of theSokoto Caliphate from October 1902 until March 15, 1903. He was the last independent Sultan of Sokoto before the Caliphate was taken over by theBritish.^[1]

Attahiru came to the throne upon the death ofAbderrahman dan Abi Bakar in October 1902 while the British forces had already taken over parts of theSokoto Caliphate. During the last year of Abderrahman's reign, British GeneralFrederick Lugard had been able to use rivalries between the emirs in the south with the Sokoto Caliphate to prevent a coherent defense against British troops.^[2] A British led force was quickly approaching the city of Sokoto with clear intentions to take it over.^[3] Attahiru I organized a quick defense of the city and decided to fight the advancing British army outside of the city of Sokoto. This battle ended quickly in favor of the British with superior firepower causing high casualties on the side of Attahiru I.^[3]

Attahiru I and many followers fled the city of Sokoto on what Attahiru I described as ahijra to prepare for the coming of theMahdi. The British moved into the largely depopulated Sokoto and appointedMuhammadu Attahiru II the new Caliph on March 21, 1903.^[3] Lugard essentially abolished the Caliph and retained the titleSultan as a symbolic position in the newly organizedNorthern Nigeria Protectorate.^[1]

Attahiru I began traveling through the rural regions of theSokoto Caliphate to gather supporters for his movement, pursued by the British. The British and emirs working with the British were shocked at the large number of people who joined Attahiru and his force grew to thousands.^[3][4] Marching throughZamfara andKano, theBritish became increasingly concerned with the force. The British attacked the rebels in theMbormi Battle Ground (near present-dayGombe) on July 29, and Attahiru I was amongst those killed.^[5][1] The British then proceeded to decapitate Attahiru, took photographs of the beheaded sultan, and then displayed the photographs throughout Northern Nigeria to"convince the diehards of the futility of fighting".^[6] His son, Muhammad Bello bin Attahiru or Mai Wurno continued to lead the remaining members of the movement and eventually settled in Sudan, where many of the descendants still live today.^[7]

• Tomb of Muhammadu Attahiru I

• Gott, Richard (3 November 2006)."Death of a sultan".The Guardian. Retrieved28 April 2017.

• 1903 deaths
• Sultans of Sokoto
• 20th-century monarchs in Africa
• People from colonial Nigeria
• 19th-century births
• 19th-century Nigerian people
• 20th-century Nigerian people
• African resistance to colonialism
• Sons of sultans

• Articles with short description
• Short description matches Wikidata
• Year of birth missing