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British conquest · 1896–1903

The Company’s guns at Idah

The Royal Niger Company, chartered in 1886, set up trading posts at Idah and along the river.

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Overview

The Royal Niger Company, chartered in 1886, set up trading posts at Idah and along the river. Prince Akwu led a guerrilla war against the Company, raiding its stores at Idah several times, and the Company answered by shelling Idah from the river: in 1896, the bombardment with which a recent history dates the subjugation of Igalaland, and by one account again before 1900. Attah Amaga died in February 1900 and with him Igala’s independence. The British installed Attah Ocheje Onokpa in 1901, then deposed him in 1903 and banished him to Asaba, where he died.[1],[2],[3]Medium confidence

Ineke (2025) dates the bombardment to 1896; James (2017) has two between 1896 and 1900. Ineke was read only in a search extract.

Who took part

  • British forces· Colonial force
  • Igala Kingdom· Defended
  • Prince Akwu and his followers· Rose up

What happened

  1. 1896–1900 · Idah

    Prince Akwu’s raids

    Akwu and his followers raid the Company’s stores at Idah several times and attack European traders on the river.

  2. 1896 (and again before 1900, by one account) · Idah

    Idah bombarded

    The Company shells Idah from a vessel on the Niger. Igala memory recalls the palace as the target and the town emptied as people fled inland.[1],[2],[3]Medium confidence

  3. February 1900 · Idah

    The end of independence

    Attah Amaga dies. Britain has proclaimed its protectorates the month before, and Igala’s independence ends with him.

  4. March 1903 · Old Calabar (Duke Town)

    Adukwu Okekwu’s attack

    Adukwu Okekwu attacks the assistant district commissioner, Boyle, and his escort near Alade. He is captured, tried and exiled to Old Calabar, where he dies.

Kingdoms involved

Sources

Every claim carries a confidence level: high (well attested), medium (one source or approximate) or disputed (sources disagree).

  1. Ineke, Ugbede Joseph. (2025). The food economy of colonial Igalaland, 1900–1960. Economic History of Developing Regions 40(2): 126–142 (Igalaland “subdued with the bombardment of Idah in 1896 by the Royal Niger Company and the conquering of Dekina and Ankpa in 1903 and 1906”; read in a search extract) (cited elsewhere, not yet checked directly)
  2. James, Favor Ojochegbe. (2017). A brief history of the Igala kingdom, part 3. Nigeria Tribal Languages (blog)
  3. HistoNaija owner. (2026). Owner's notes on the reach of Igala, Benin, Oyo and Aro, the British conquests, and migrations (hintsPrompts/doc1.md)