By ISHAQ ZAKI

The Zamfara chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC) has described the killing of one of its chieftains by bandits, Alhaji Umar S-Fada as a great loss.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that S-Fada was killed by bandits in the early hours of Saturday, along the Gusau to Funtua Highway while he was en route Kaduna from Gusau.

A statement issued by the State APC Publicity Secretary, Malam Yusuf Idris in Gusau, described the death as very sad.

Idris said that the deceased, who died at the age of 62, is survived by three wives and many children.

“It is with a heavy heart that the Zamfara APC chapter, under Tukur Danfulani announces the gruesome killing of Hon. Umar S/Fada, who was killed in the early hours of today, Saturday by gunmen at Fegi village near Gidan Dawa in Tsafe Local Governments Area while on his way to Kaduna from Gusau.

“S-Fada had attended the state’s APC stakeholders’ meeting as well as the grand reception into the state organised by the party in honour of the visiting Minister of State for Defence, Dr Bello Matawalle who was in the state to meet with party members, associates, friends and relations.

“The deceased, during his lifetime, had held various political positions in the state including Vice Chairman of Zurmi Local Government Area, Director-General of the State Revenue Generation Agency and Special Adviser on Rural Electrification, among others,” Idris added.

He further said that as a result of the sad news, the visiting minister, Matawalle, had cancelled all his engagements holding in his hometown of Maradun for the day in order to attend the funeral prayer of the late party chieftain.

Idris added, “All the APC leaders, executives, members and supporters had already arrived Gusau to attend the funeral prayer scheduled for 4:30pm on Saturday at the Low-cost Juma’at Mosque, Gusau.

“We pray the Almighty Allah to reward his soul with Jannatul Firdaus and give his family the fortitude to bear the loss,” he added.

According to Idris, the late S/Fada was a philanthropist who spent his lifetime in assisting the needy and the less-privileged people.

“He will be remembered for his simplicity, hard work, honesty and his total devotion to Almighty Allah.

“May the Almighty Allah reward his soul with the exalted paradise and accept his Shahadat,” Idris explained. (NAN)