Former Secretary to the Benue State Government (SSG), David Salifu, has died after suffering gunshot wounds during an attack by suspected bandits along the Wukari–Makurdi highway.
Salifu, who served under former Benue State Governor Gabriel Suswam, was also a lecturer at Federal University Wukari.
According to sources, the former SSG was travelling from Wukari to Makurdi on Thursday when armed men reportedly intercepted his vehicle.
The attackers allegedly ordered him to step out of the car and board a motorcycle. However, after he reportedly challenged them, they opened fire, leaving him with critical gunshot injuries.
Confirming the incident on Friday, a close associate of the deceased and the African Democratic Congress’ Benue South senatorial candidate, David Olofu, said Salifu died in the early hours of Friday at the Benue State University Teaching Hospital.
Olofu described Salifu as a trusted confidant and a member of his campaign council.
According to him, Salifu was initially rushed to a teaching hospital in Wukari after the attack.
Due to the severity of his injuries, arrangements were reportedly made with the Vice-Chancellor of Federal University Wukari, who provided an ambulance and a medical team to transfer him to Abuja for advanced treatment.
However, for reasons that remain unclear, Salifu was instead taken to the Benue State University Teaching Hospital in Makurdi, where he later succumbed to his injuries.
The reason for the change in destination from Abuja to Makurdi has not yet been established.
As of the time of filing this report, efforts to obtain a response from the Taraba State Police Command were unsuccessful.
