Gusau – Gunmen suspected to be hired assassins on Wednesday shot dead the immediate past Chairman of Zamfara State Youth Empowerment Committee (YECO), Alhaji Isma’ila Zakariyya, along the Funtua-Gusau road.

Zakariyya, a staunch supporter of former Gov.Mahmuda Shinkafi, was said to have been travelling to Kaduna from Gusau when his attackers opened  fire on the vehicle conveying him and a PDP stalwart, Alhaji Aminu Matawallen Yandoto.

An eye-witness, Malam Haladu Aliyu, said that the other occupant of the vehicle, Alhaji Aminu Matawalle, was also shot in the abdomen and was admitted at the Gusau Federal Medical Centre.

Although the killing was being attributed to armed robbery, a political associate of the late Zakariyya,  told newsmen in Gusau that political motive could not be ruled out.

The associate was the former  Chairman of Gusau Local Government Area, Alhaji Ahmad Bagu.

Bagu, who drove along with Zakariyy on the trip in another vehicle, said that personal  effects of the victims were intact inside their vehicles after the attack.

“Their handsets, shoes, luggage and cheque books were intact when we searched the car. That is why we suspected that they were targeted for assassination,” he said.

The Bauchi State Chairman of the PDP,  Alhaji Ibrahim Mallaha, described the incident as attack by armed robbers.

“We are suspecting that the incident was armed robbery, but whatever it might be those behind it will answer murder charge before God,” he said

The Spokesman of the Zamfara State Police Command, ASP. Sanusi Amiru, was not available to react to the incident when NAN correspondent made efforts to contact him. (NAN)