Kaduna lawmaker shot dead by bandits on Kaduna-Zaria road, 30 travellers abducted

Rilwanu Gadagau, a member of the Kaduna House of Assembly, has been shot dead by gunmen suspected to be bandits along the Kaduna-Zaria Highway.

Gadagau, who represented Giwa Constituency of Kaduna was reportedly shot dead on Monday night by bandits during attack on travellers along the road.

However, the body of the lawmaker was discovered on Wednesday morning near Mawai, a village about 13 kilometres from the Kaduna State capital.

One Sani Dogara was also reportedly killed by the bandits who abducted over 30 travellers in an operation that lasted more than two hours.

Kaduna Assembly Speaker, Yusuf Zailani, confirmed the death of Gadagau in the hands of bandits in a statement on Wednesday.

The Speaker confirmed that Gadagau’s remains was recovered two days after he was killed.

“This is tragic and painful. We are in deep grief over this sad incident.

“Our prayers at this time, go to his immediate family. Honourable Gadagau was a young and dynamic lawmaker, who had a passion for his constituency, state and Nigeria. We will miss his vibrant contributions.

“Our hearts also go out to those kidnapped in the same operation, believing that they would be rescued by security operatives as soon as possible,” Zailani said in the statement.

Gadagau is the third prominent politician to be killed by gunmen in North west Nigeria in recent weeks.

Last month, a former APC governorship aspirant Sagir Hamida was killed on the Kaduna-Abuja highway.

More brazenly, gunmen killed Katsina state commissioner for science and technology Nasir Rabe in his home, in Katsina.