Former Secretary to the Benue State Government (SSG), David Salifu, has died from gunshot wounds sustained during an attack by suspected armed bandits along the Wukari–Makurdi highway.
Salifu, who served under former Benue State Governor Gabriel Suswam, was also a lecturer at the Federal University, Wukari.
Sources said he was travelling from Wukari to Makurdi on Thursday when gunmen intercepted his vehicle. The attackers reportedly ordered him to step out and board a motorcycle. When he allegedly challenged them, they opened fire, leaving him critically injured.
Confirming the incident on Friday, a close associate of the deceased and the African Democratic Congress (ADC) Benue South Senatorial candidate, David Olofu, said Salifu died in the early hours of Friday at the Benue State University Teaching Hospital, Makurdi.
Olofu described the late Salifu as a trusted confidant and a member of his campaign council.
According to him, Salifu was initially taken to a teaching hospital in Wukari for emergency treatment. Owing to the severity of his injuries, arrangements were made with the Vice-Chancellor of the Federal University, Wukari, who provided an ambulance and a medical team to transfer him to Abuja for advanced medical care.
However, for reasons yet to be established, Salifu was instead taken to the Benue State University Teaching Hospital in Makurdi, where he later died.
The reason for the change in destination from Abuja to Makurdi remains unclear.
Efforts to obtain an official response from the Taraba State Police Command were unsuccessful as of the time of filing this report.
