1879 – 1888 A.D.

Sarkin Zazzau Sambo was the direct son of Sarkin Zazzau Abdularimu who become the tenth Fulani Emir of Zazzau with the deposition of Abdullahi in 1879. He was the second Emir from Katsinawa Ruling family and a direct grandfather of the incumbent Emir, Sarkin Zazzau (Dr) Alhaji Shehu Idris.
Mallam Sambo held the title of Wamban Zazzau Under the reign of Mallam Abubakar Bamalli who was said to have been in good terms with Mallam Sambo. Sarkin Zazzau Abubakar Bamalli was said to have groomed Sambo, and conferred him with traditional title of Wamban Zazzau.
Based on the royal statue and eligibility formulated by the kingmakers in Zaria, the electors forwarded the name of Mallam Sambo to Sokoto for approval, which Sultan Mu’azu relegated. Instead, he sent a letter appointing Madaki Ali as the next Emir. On the arrival of the letter, Ali was seriously ill. This development prompted the sultan to consult and approve the eligible candidate within the royal families of Zazzau (Hogen:122).
Sarkin Zazzau Sambo was crowned by Sultan Mu’azu and during the ceremonial function in the central Mosque, Sambo requested the Sultan for permission to occupy the palace (Gidan Bakwa) abandoned for many years after the death of his father, Sarkin Zazzau Abdulkarimu. The gigantic effort made by Mallam Sambo To re-occupy the palace enabled all the succeeding Emirs to be housed in the palace (Gidan Bakwa,) Down to the present day.
Sarkin Zazzau Sambo seemed to have suffered several internecine wars, one of which occurred at the time he set out for the annual homage to Sokoto when the Habe ruler of Ningi, Haruna, attacked his royal party at Tukur-Tukur where he camped. The attack immediately compelled Sambo to order a retune to Zaria walled city and before the party reached the gate of Tukur-Tukur, war broken out, with Sambo winning the battle (Hogbn:122). This battle of Tukur- Tukur gate with Ningawa resulted in the renaming of the gate to; “kofa Kibo”, meaning the “Gate of Arrows’.