By Luka Binniyat

Six days after he was shot under conditions still controversial, Pastor Isua Kiforo died last Sunday at the 44 Army Referral Hospital, Kaduna.  But this was after 52 bullets were removed from his lower abdomen, thighs and legs, according to family source.

Last Thursday, friends, relations and Church members of Kiforo’s the Living Faith Church, Kakuri, gathered at a gloomy ceremony in his House, at High Cost, Barnawa, Kaduna, to mourn the tragic death of a man everyone, including the state government, described as of high moral standing, humble and diligent in his job of 25 years.

Those who attended Kiforo’s Wake Keep last Thursday, included Gen Zamani Lekwot, former Military Governor of Rivers State, and one of the most respectable leaders from Southern  part of Kaduna State, where the deceased came from.

Former Deputy Governor of Kaduna State, Engr. Bawa Magaji, the Agwam of Bajju, in Zangon Kataf Local Government Area (LGA) of Kaduna State, were also there.  Even Kaduna Ministry of Information, sent representation.

Kaduna State Commissioner of Police, Mallam Mohammed Bala Nasarawa, had said in a statement, six hours after Kiforo was shot on February 13, that: “At about 1328 hrs, a combined team of security personnel attached to Government House main gate, Kaduna, intercepted a Toyota Corolla Saloon car, maroon in colour, with Kaduna State Government official Reg. No Kaduna, KD-06-A 04.

“The driver drove dangerously in a suspicious manner towards the Government House gate. The security personnel stopped the lone occupant, but instead of stopping, he forced himself through the exit gate and found his way into the government house.

“The security agencies thereafter, opened fire and shot the suspect on the leg and lower abdominal part of his body. The suspect was later identified as Pastor Isuwa Kiforo ‘M’ of No.7 Abba Rimi, Narayi Kaduna, who is the Director, Finance and administration, Ministry of Information, Kaduna State.

“He was rushed to 44 Army Reference Hospital Kaduna for treatment, after he was given first aid by a team of medical personnel attached to the government house. The vehicle was thoroughly searched in my presence by our anti-bomb disposal experts and nothing incriminating was recovered. In essence neither weapon nor explosives were found in it” he had said.

The Police have not yet made any other statement on the incident.  Kiforo’s family disputed these claims, saying the car had no dent to show it forced its way into Sir Ibrahim Kashim House, and bore no bullet holes.  The family said that he was shot when he came out of the car.

Kaduna State Commissioner of Information, Mallam Saidu Adamu, told Sunday Vanguard on phone that, “Kiforo was good, hardworking and was a God-fearing man. I have never known him to have problems with anyone. I personally liked and respected him. Only God knows what happen and he got shot”, he said.

Kiforo, who had also worked at the Government House Kaduna as a Deputy Director, Finance, is said to be one of the men of God that visited most of the times, Governor Patrick Yakowa to offer prayers for him in his office.

He is also said to be among those contesting for the soon to be vacant post of the Accountant General of the State.  Some even alluded that he had some money to deliver at the Government House to one of the top aides of the governor that fateful day, saying his death may be attached to that.

Some said that as one of the spiritual mentors of the Governor, his killing may have been a way of making the governor more vulnerable to his enemies.

Yet, others said that he was framed and shot to make it look as if he was a Christian member of Boko Haram terror sect, to give credence to the saying that Christians were actually active in bombing places, including churches, but that the conspiracy theory failed on the revelation of the Police Commissioner that the father of five had no weapons no explosive on him or in the car.

Some said that the non-release of the CCTV footage of the incident was to conceal the truth of the circumstances that led to the shooting of the pastor.  As the Police and the state government keep mum over this incident, the rumour mills would never stop working over this incident.