A prominent All Progressives Congress, APC,chieftain in Zamfara State, Umar Moriki has been shot dead by gunmen suspected to be armed bandits.
According to Channels TV, the attack occurred early Saturday along the Gusau–Tsafe highway, near Fegi village in Tsafe Local Government Area, while Moriki was travelling from Gusau to Kaduna.
The Zamfara APC, led by Chairman Tukur Danfulani, confirmed the killing in a statement describing the incident as “a tragic loss for both the party and the state.”
The party’s Publicity Secretary, Yusuf Idris, noted that Moriki had just attended a stakeholders’ meeting hosted by the Minister of State for Defence, Bello Matawalle, before embarking on the journey where he was fatally attacked.
During his political career, Moriki held several key positions, including:
Vice Chairman, Zurmi Local Government Area
Director-General of a state agency
Special Adviser on Rural Electrification
He also contested the Zurmi/Shinkafi House of Representatives seat in the 2023 general elections.
READ ALSO:Zamfara APC backs Tinubu, praises Matawalle’s visit
Moriki died at 62 and is survived by three wives and several children.
The Zamfara APC praised him as a “dedicated party leader and passionate community advocate who devoted his life to public service and humanitarian work.”
The killing adds to a disturbing pattern of bandit attacks in the state.
Just last month, PUNCH reported that five policemen and three Community Protection Guards were ambushed and killed by bandits along the same axis.
An eyewitness, Ya’u Musa, said the security personnel were on patrol near Gidan-Giye village when the assailants emerged suddenly from hiding and opened fire.
Banditry remains a major security challenge in Zamfara, with highways around Tsafe and Zurmi frequently targeted by armed gangs.
