APC Chieftain Umar Moriki Killed by Gunmen After Attending Defence Minister Matawalle’s Meeting in Zamfara

The Zamfara State chapter of the APC has confirmed Umar Moriki’s death, calling it a profound loss both for the party and the state’s political landscape.

Umar Moriki, a prominent All Progressives Congress (APC) leader in Zamfara State, was tragically killed in a gun attack, allegedly carried out by bandits wreaking havoc across the region.

Moriki was reportedly ambushed and killed on Saturday morning along the Gusau–Tsafe highway, close to Fegi village in Tsafe Local Government Area, while traveling from Zamfara’s capital, Gusau, to Kaduna.

The Zamfara State chapter of the APC has confirmed the incident, describing it as a significant blow to both the party and the state’s political scene.

According to a statement by Yusuf Idris, the party’s Publicity Secretary in Zamfara, Moriki had just attended a stakeholders’ meeting convened by the Minister of State for Defence, Bello Matawalle, before the attack occurred.

Yusuf Idris, the APC’s Zamfara State Publicity Secretary, described Moriki as a devoted party stalwart who played key roles in governance and grassroots political mobilisation.

> “His death is a massive loss to our party and to Zamfara State. Moriki was a committed party leader who dedicated his life to public service and humanitarian efforts,” the statement read.

Moriki, 62, held several important political positions over the years, including Vice Chairman of Zurmi Local Government Area, Director-General of a state agency, and Special Adviser on Rural Electrification. He also contested the Zurmi/Shinkafi House of Representatives seat in the 2023 elections. He is survived by three wives and several children.

Zamfara State has long been a hotspot for banditry in northwestern Nigeria, with armed groups responsible for killings, kidnappings, extortion, and village raids. Despite repeated military operations and peace initiatives, violence continues to plague the state, often targeting rural communities, commuters, and political figures.

Highway attacks, particularly along the Gusau–Tsafe and Gusau–Funtua routes, have become alarmingly frequent, with travellers regularly ambushed by heavily armed gangs. Local communities in Zurmi, Shinkafi, Maru, Tsafe, and Birnin Magaji LGAs have suffered repeated casualties, forcing mass displacement and sparking urgent calls for stronger security measures.

Moriki’s death adds to the rising list of political leaders, traditional rulers, and civilians who have fallen victim to these attacks, raising serious concerns about safety and the ongoing threat posed by well-armed criminal networks in the region.