According to her, the gunmen shot her husband multiple times in the head before turning their weapons on Silas, a fresh graduate of the University of Port Harcourt who was awaiting deployment for the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC).

Gunmen have killed the Chief Security Officer (CSO) of the Adokiye Amiesimaka Stadium, Richard Timothy, and his 23-year-old son, Silas, at their residence in Igwuruta-Ali, near Port Harcourt, Rivers State.

Timothy’s widow, Grace, narrated the horrifying incident to journalists in Port Harcourt on Tuesday, saying the attackers, dressed in black, ambushed the family as they drove into their compound on the night of January 31.

According to her, the gunmen shot her husband multiple times in the head before turning their weapons on Silas, a fresh graduate of the University of Port Harcourt who was awaiting deployment for the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC).

“Around 9pm, as we returned home, my son opened the gate for us. Armed men dressed in black entered with us and started shooting. They shot my husband in the head multiple times. They also shot my son,” she recounted in distress.

Grace said she narrowly escaped but later returned to find her son’s lifeless body.

“I was able to escape, but when I got back, I saw my son’s body on the floor. The police came, and I took his corpse to the morgue,” she added.

The widow also alleged that the assailants dragged her into a nearby bush, demanding money before releasing her.

“They said they didn’t come for me but for my husband. They asked for money, but I told them I had none. One of them got shot accidentally during a scuffle, and while trying to escape with their injured member, they let me go,” she said.

She further revealed that her husband had received multiple threats due to his efforts to curb the looting of property at the Adokiye Amiesimaka Stadium.

“He had been receiving threats. If the police check records at the Igwuruta Police Station, they will find reports he made about these threats. He even arrested two people last year for theft — one from the stadium and another from our neighborhood. I don’t want my husband to die in vain. He fought for the truth,” she said.

Meanwhile, the Rivers State Police Public Relations Officer, Grace Iringe-Koko, said investigations had commenced to track down the killers.

Iringe-Koko disclosed that the police responded to a distress call from the deceased’s daughter, Omolara, and dispatched officers to the crime scene.

According to the statement, “The Rivers State Police Command is aware of a tragic incident that occurred on January 31, 2025, at about 11:40pm, where Richard Timothy, 59, Chief Security Officer of Adokiye Amiesimaka International Stadium, Omagwa, Port Harcourt, and his first son were brutally murdered by unknown gunmen.

“The Igwuruta Division received a report from Timothy’s daughter, stating that four armed men ambushed her father and brother, shooting them in the head. The victims were rushed to the hospital but were confirmed dead by the doctor on duty.

“Three expended AK-47 cartridges were recovered from the scene. The Commissioner of Police has directed the deployment of all necessary intelligence to apprehend the fleeing suspects and bring them to justice.

However, Iringe-Koko assured that the police would intensify efforts to curb crime in the state and ensure justice for the bereaved family.