Gunmen have reportedly killed the Peoples Democratic Party’s councilorship candidate for Pari Ward in the Kauru Local Government Area of Kaduna State,Raymond Timothy, along with his brother, James Timothy.
According to The PUNCH, the tragic incident was confirmed by Barnabas Chawai, a PDP chieftain in theocal Government Area, on Sunday.
He stated that the brothers were targeted on Sunday evening while riding a motorcycle home from a political campaign in Kizachi Village, located within Pari Ward.
Chawai suggested that the attack might be politically motivated and called on security agencies to take swift action to apprehend those responsible for this heinous act.
“Drastic measures need to be put in place to forestall further occurrence as we approach the October 19 local government poll,” he emphasized.
The victims left behind three children, and Chawai noted that the wife of Raymond Timothy is pregnant and expecting their fourth child.
John Wanneh, the Secretary to the Village Head of Kizachi, recounted the events leading up to the tragedy. He revealed that he had been with Raymond Timothy earlier in the evening, around 6 p.m., before they parted ways, allowing Timothy to return home to Bakin-Kogi. “It was not more than 10 to 15 minutes when we parted ways that we heard gunshots around some guinea corn farms,” Wanneh stated. He expressed uncertainty about the motives behind the attack, saying, “Honestly, we cannot be able to say who are those that committed this crime or say the killing was connected to politics or not.”
Furthermore, Wanneh urged the government to assist in constructing a bridge and improving the road infrastructure for better emergency access.
“Security operatives cannot enter the village now because of the bad nature of the road and there’s a river which they cannot cross; that has been our situation for long,” he lamented.
Attempts to reach the Kaduna State Police Public Relations Officer, ASP Mansir Hassan, for comments on the incident were unsuccessful, as he did not respond to calls or text messages.
The local community now grapples with the aftermath of this shocking violence, raising concerns about safety as the upcoming local government elections approach.
