By Our Correspondent
Gunmen suspected to be bandits have killed a senior APC chieftain in Zamfara State, Umar Moriki, while he was travelling along the Gusau Tsafe highway. The attack happened in the early hours of Saturday as he was returning from a political engagement in the state capital. He was ambushed near Fegi village in Tsafe Local Government Area while on his way back to Kaduna.
Moriki had spent the day attending an APC stakeholders meeting and a reception held in honour of the Minister of State for Defence, Dr Bello Mohammed Matawalle. The event attracted many party members from across Zamfara, and Moriki was reported to have left shortly after the gathering before he was attacked.
His death has thrown the APC community in Zamfara into deep mourning. Party officials described the incident as a great loss, noting that Moriki had served the party and the state with dedication. He previously held several public positions, including Vice Chairman of Zurmi Local Government Area, Director General of a state agency, and Special Adviser on Rural Electrification. He also contested the 2023 House of Representatives election for the Zurmi Shinkafi Federal Constituency.
Minister Matawalle cancelled his scheduled activities in Maradun to attend the funeral rites. The funeral prayer took place at the Low cost Juma at Mosque in Gusau, where family members, political associates, and residents gathered to pay their final respects. Tributes from party members and supporters described Moriki as a calm and hardworking leader who believed in community development.
The killing has once again highlighted the growing insecurity in Zamfara State. The Gusau Tsafe highway has remained a dangerous route, with repeated attacks involving ambushes, kidnapping, and robbery. The death of a high ranking political figure has renewed calls for stronger security operations in the region. Residents and political leaders are urging authorities to take urgent steps to restore safety on major roads.
Moriki is survived by three wives and several children. His family and supporters are demanding justice and calling for the arrest of the perpetrators responsible for the attack.
