Gonaïves, September 16, 2025 — The climate of insecurity gripping Haiti’s Artibonite department has reached a new level.
Wilford Ferdinand, a political figure better known by his nickname “Tiwil,” was shot dead Tuesday afternoon in “La Badie,” at the northern entrance of the city of Gonaïves.
According to several witnesses, Ferdinand was traveling in a vehicle with another man, whose identity has not yet been disclosed, when they were ambushed by heavily armed individuals.
The attackers reportedly opened fire at close range. Both men were killed instantly.
Local sources said the two victims were heading to the “Canal Bois” area in connection with a land dispute involving several influential families in the region.
The exact motives of the assailants remain unclear, and observers say no line of investigation has been ruled out.
So far, no official inquiry has been announced, but civil society groups are calling for a full investigation into what they describe as a political execution, in a context where impunity remains the rule for most political crimes and targeted killings.
A Persistent Climate of Insecurity
The killing comes as Gonaïves faces a resurgence of deadly attacks.
In recent weeks, several residents have been executed under similar circumstances, fueling fear and a sense of abandonment among the population.
Heavy gunfire was also reported in the city center shortly after Ferdinand’s assassination, plunging several neighborhoods into panic.
Local residents have denounced the silence of the judicial and police authorities. Neither the government commissioner nor the regional leadership of the Haitian National Police (PNH) had commented by Tuesday evening.
Wilford Ferdinand, known as “Tiwil,” was one of the leaders of the Artibonite Resistance Front in the early 2000s. In 2004, he played a central role in the armed and popular mobilizations that forced former President Jean-Bertrand Aristide from power.
That past made him both famous and controversial. For some, Tiwil was regarded as a determined activist; for others, he was seen as a key actor in Haiti’s cycle of political violence.
In recent years, Ferdinand had withdrawn from the national spotlight but continued to exert influence locally, particularly in land disputes and community mediation.
The assassination of “Tiwil” risks inflaming tensions in Artibonite, a region already marked by frequent clashes between armed groups and security forces.
Several analysts warn that the killing could trigger new waves of violence, given Ferdinand’s symbolic role in Haiti’s recent political history.
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Jamesson JN BAPTISTE wrote the french version of this text which can be consulted through the link below
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