Gunmen believed to be bandits attacked the convoy of Alhaji Mouktar Lugga, Chief of Staff to the Zamfara State Governor, on Thursday, April 2, 2026. The shooting took place at approximately 6:16 p.m. along the Funtua–Gusau highway near Kucheri village. Lugga was returning to Gusau from an official assignment when attackers emerged from both sides of the road and opened fire on his vehicle. The convoy vehicle sustained damage, with a bullet piercing the windshield and narrowly missing the driver. One assailant reportedly moved close to the vehicle and attempted to fire, but the weapon failed to go off. Amid the gunfire, the driver accelerated and managed to escape the ambush. All four occupants, including Lugga, his driver and two others, escaped unharmed. Security sources confirmed the incident but did not disclose whether any arrests had been made or if suspects had been identified. The attack has renewed concerns over the safety of public officials traveling through the region, which has seen repeated incidents of armed banditry.
Alhaji Mouktar Lugga's narrow escape underscores how routine travel has become a life-threatening gamble in parts of Northwest Nigeria. When even a top government aide can be ambushed on a state highway, it signals a collapse of road security that affects not just officials but everyday Nigerians. This is not just an attack on a chief of staff—it's an assault on governance itself.
