436 A TROPICAL DEPENDENCY In the province of Nassarawa, which lies upon the north bank of the Benue between Nupe and Bautchi, a great deal of trouble had been caused by Fulani raiders, of whom the headquarters were at a town called Abuja. The trade routes in the western part of the province were much interrupted by the lawless brigandage of Abuja, and in the summer of 1902 an expedition was sent which reduced Abuja to obedience. A new king was placed upon the throne, who agreed to observe British laws, and the expedition marched back through the disturbed belt, reducing such lawlessness as it encountered. But at Keffi, the headquarters of the province, where a British Resident was already established, slave-raiding was being openly carried on by the Magaji or native commander-in-chief, who had been appointed by the Emir of Zaria. This officer, much stronger than the local emir, defied authority and refused to submit to the representations of the British Resident. There came a day when the Resident, Captain Maloney, called upon the Magaji to appear and answer for his conduct before the emir. The Magaji refused to come. The British Resident, after an unavailing attempt had been made by the Assistant Resident to bring the Magaji to reason, issued an order for the troops to be called out, and the Magaji, rushing from his house, murdered the British Resident with his own hand before troops could reach the spot.

The Magaji was, of course, the leader of a rebellious party in Keffi. After the murder of Captain Maloney he and his followers immediately fled. They were pursued by British troops to the northern borders of the province, where, taking refuge in Zaria, they were presently passed on in safety to Kano, still outside the limit of British administration. At Kano the Magaji was received with much honour by the emir, who gave him presents and assigned him a house, placing him always on his right hand when he rode.

In March 1902 a Resident had been placed with Zaria, which was nominally friendly. But the Emir of Zaria was