Pastor Isuwa Kiforo, the unarmed Kaduna State government officials who had been shot by security agents when he failed to stop for security checks on his way into the government house on Monday, has died.
Though unarmed, security agents had opened fire on Kiforo’s vehicle claiming that he had been driving “dangerously in a suspicious” and refused to stop for routine security checks as he attempted to gain entry into the Government House.
Kiforo, a clergyman and the director of Finance and Administration at the Ministry of Information, had sustained gun shot wounds to his leg and lower abdomen.
He died in the early hours of Sunday morning at the 44 Army Reference Hospital in Kaduna where he had been receiving treatment since the shooting, authorities said.
His death was described as shocking by Saidu Adamu, the Kaduna state’s information commissioner, who said the late Kiforo was a hard working man whose services would be missed by the state government.
“We are mourning our director because it is very painful experience to us but God knows better,” he said.
Sympathisers, who made trips to the hospital and the deceased’s residence, described Kiforo’s death as unfortunate.
The shooting of the unarmed government official speaks to the hysteria that has gripped the northern region in the wake of recent Boko Haram attacks, targeting security agencies in Kaduna.
Shortly after the shooting, reports had spread in the media claiming security agents had stopped a suicide bomber driving a car filled with explosives from gaining access to the Government House.
However, Kaduna State Commissioner of Police Mr. Ballah Nasarawa had clarified that no explosives or weapons had been found in the government-issued vehicle that Kiforo had been driving.
However, Kiforo’s refusal to stop at the designated checkpoint had spooked security agents who “had no option but to open fire”.
The late Kiforo’s son, who commented after the incident, raised doubts about the reports and said his father had been to disciplined to ignore security checks.
“My father cannot be involved in such a thing because he is a highly disciplined person. He is very religious and always very close to God. Therefore, none of the family members will believe that he can do a thing like that. We believe what happened was just an accident.
“We don’t also believe that he can do anything that can cause embarrassment to Yakowa because during our daily morning devotions, he usually asks us to pray for Yakowa, especially to be protected from the Boko Haram. As you can see our house is dotted with pictures of Yakowa’s executive.
“My father spends most of his time in the Church. This is why most people don’t even know that he is a civil servant and they address him as Pastor,” he said.
