All Progressives Congress (APC) chieftain and former Zamfara State governorship candidate, Dr. Sani Abdullahi Shinkafi, has narrowly escaped an assassination attempt in Abuja.
The incident occurred on August 15, 2025, shortly after he observed Friday prayers. Shinkafi said armed men, dressed in black and wearing masks, intercepted and attacked his vehicle before fleeing in an unmarked black Prado Jeep.
In a statement on Saturday, Shinkafi, who also serves as Executive Director of Patriots for the Advancement of Peace and Social Development, condemned the attack, describing it as an attempt to silence his patriotic and outspoken stance on national security and development.
The APC chieftain suggested the incident might be linked to his strong stance against ransom payments to bandits, which he argued only fuels further criminality.
He noted that his position had drawn threats from wanted bandit leader Turji Bello, who recently issued a video warning against him.
Shinkafi 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.
“I appeal to the Inspector General of Police and Director General Department of State Services (DSS) to thoroughly investigate this unprovoked attempt on my life to unravel those behind it and their sponsors to face justice.
“The attack is a violation of my fundamental rights as enshrined in Chapter IV of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999, as amended, including right to life, right to dignity of human person, right to personal liberty, right to private and family life, right to freedom of expression, which I usually exercise in various media programmes, interviews and press conferences without malice in the quest for a strong, united, stable, secured, peaceful and prosperous democratic society.
“The attack may not be unconnected with my views on national security particularly in Zamfara State where I urged families of kidnapped victims not to pay ransom as bandits used the funds to acquire more sophisticated weapons for their attacks on innocent citizens.
“I also urged the military to intensify their operations to flush out these criminal elements in the North West in particular and the entire nation which will make the re-election of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu easier as the geopolitical zone that gave him the highest votes in 2023 presidential election in which he appointed me to serve as a Patron, Tinubu – Shettima Presidential Campaign Council.”
Shinkafi recalled his previous roles in security and governance, including serving as Chairman, Zamfara State Committee for the Prosecution of Bandits, and as a member of several state and national security-related committees.
He maintained that his interventions on critical issues are guided by patriotism and the need to strengthen Nigeria’s democracy and security.