Nigerian state lawmaker shot dead

A state lawmaker of north Nigeria's Kaduna state was shot dead by gunmen on Monday on a highway in the state, a local official said on Wednesday.

Yusuf Ibrahim Zailani, speaker of the Kaduna State House Assembly, told Xinhua on the phone the lawmaker died on Monday night during a gunmen attack along the highway connecting the city of Kaduna, the state capital, and Zaria, another city in the state, together with several other victims.

"This is tragic and painful. We are in deep grief over this sad incident," Zailani said.

Armed attacks have been a primary security threat in Nigeria's northern and central regions, leading to deaths and kidnappings in recent months. (ANI/Xinhua)

( With inputs from ANI )