Gunmen kill councillorship candidate, brother in Kaduna

Tragedy struck in Kauru Local Government Area of Kaduna State as gunmen murdered Raymond Timothy, a councillorship candidate under the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), and his brother, James Timothy.

The attack occurred on Sunday, September 29, 2024.

Raymond, who was vying for the councillorship seat in Pari Ward, was killed alongside his brother while returning home from a political campaign in Kizachi village, according to local reports.

Barnabas Chawai, a PDP chieftain in Kauru, confirmed the killings and suggested they could be politically motivated. Chawai urged security agencies to act swiftly to bring the assailants to justice and prevent further violence ahead of the October 19 local government elections.

“Drastic measures need to be put in place to prevent such incidents as we approach the elections,” Chawai stated. He also noted that Raymond’s wife, who is pregnant with their fourth child, and three other children, have been left devastated by the tragedy.

John Wanneh, Secretary to the Village Head of Kizachi, recounted that he had been with Raymond until around 6 p.m. on Sunday before they parted ways. Moments later, gunshots rang out near nearby guinea corn farms, leading to the discovery of the murders.

“We heard the gunshots just 10 to 15 minutes after we left each other,” Wanneh said, adding that it is unclear whether the killings were politically motivated or not.

Wanneh further appealed to the government to improve the infrastructure in the area, pointing out that poor roads and the lack of a bridge over a nearby river have left the village inaccessible to security forces during emergencies.

As of press time, the Kaduna State Police Public Relations Officer, ASP Mansir Hassan, has yet to comment on the incident.