APC chieftain Shinkafi survives Abuja gunmen attack after prayers

DDM News

(DDM) – Former Zamfara governorship candidate and prominent All Progressives Congress (APC) chieftain, Dr. Sani Abdullahi Shinkafi, narrowly escaped an assassination attempt in Abuja on Friday.

DDM gathered that the frightening incident occurred shortly after Friday mosque prayers when heavily armed masked men attacked his vehicle.

According to reports, the attackers, dressed in black and wearing face masks, used a black Prado Jeep without a number plate to block Shinkafi’s car.

Eyewitnesses said the gunmen carried heavy weapons and struck suddenly, causing panic before zooming away at high speed.

Dr. Shinkafi, speaking to journalists on Saturday, described the incident as a direct threat to his life.

He said, “My life was threatened today when some persons dressed in black, wearing masks, and carrying big guns blocked and attacked my car after Friday mosque prayers in Abuja and zoomed off.”

The APC chieftain condemned the attack, stressing that it violated his fundamental rights guaranteed under the 1999 Nigerian Constitution.

He listed the rights to life, dignity, liberty, privacy, and freedom of expression as provisions that were trampled upon by the assailants.

Shinkafi further disclosed that suspicious activities had been occurring earlier in the week before the incident.

According to him, strange phone calls were repeatedly made to his Abuja residence, raising suspicions of a possible plot.

He believes those mysterious calls were connected to the violent attempt on his life.

Security analysts say the attack bears the hallmarks of a carefully coordinated operation aimed at intimidation or elimination.

They noted that the use of a vehicle without a number plate and masked attackers highlights the boldness of the perpetrators.

Political observers are concerned that the incident may be linked to Shinkafi’s outspoken role in Zamfara and national politics.

Over the years, Shinkafi has been an influential voice in governance debates and security-related matters in northern Nigeria.

He has also played critical roles within the APC, making him a figure of both support and opposition within political circles.

The attempt on his life underscores the deepening insecurity in Abuja, a city long considered the safest part of Nigeria.

Residents in the capital have raised alarms over increasing reports of abductions, armed robberies, and targeted political attacks.

Civil rights advocates have demanded that security agencies immediately investigate the attempted assassination.

They warned that attacks on political leaders, if unchecked, could further erode public confidence in Nigeria’s democratic system.

As at the time of filing this report, security agencies had not issued an official statement on the attack.

Shinkafi, however, vowed not to be silenced or intimidated, insisting that democracy must be protected from violence and fear.

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