Alhaji Salihu Tanko

Alhaji Salihu Tanko was a Nigerian traditional ruler who served as the Emir of Kagara from 1982 until his death in 2021. He was born on April 5, 1930, in Tegina, a town in Niger State. He was appointed as the 16th Chief of Tegina in 1971 and later became the second Chief of Kagara with a second-class status in 1982. He succeeded Alhaji Ahmadu Attahiru who died in 1981. He was promoted to the rank of a first-class emir by the military governor of Niger State, Col. Lawan Gwadabe, in 1991. He was a member of the Niger State Council of Traditional Rulers and an elder statesman whose wise counsel was valued by the state government and the people. He was known for his efforts to promote peace and unity among the diverse ethnic, cultural, and religious groups in his domain and the state as a whole. He was also involved in the resolution of the security challenges that affected his emirate and the state, such as banditry and kidnapping. He died on March 2, 2021, in Minna, the state capital, after a protracted illness. He was buried in Kagara, the headquarters of Rafi Local Government Area, according to Islamic rites. He was mourned by many Nigerians, including the state governor, Abubakar Bello, who described him as a colossal loss to the state and the nation.