Former Secretary to the Benue State Government (SSG), David Salifu, has died after sustaining gunshot injuries during an attack by suspected bandits along the Wukari–Makurdi road.
Salifu, who served as SSG during the administration of former Governor Gabriel Suswam, was also a lecturer at the Federal University, Wukari, Taraba State.
According to sources, the assailants stopped his vehicle and ordered him to alight and board a motorcycle. However, they allegedly shot him after he challenged their demands.
A close associate of the deceased and the African Democratic Congress (ADC) Benue South senatorial candidate, David Olofu, confirmed the incident.
Speaking to the publication, Olofu said Salifu died in the early hours of Friday at the Benue State University Teaching Hospital in Makurdi.
“He was a member of my campaign council and a confidant. I learnt that Salifu left Wukari and was travelling to Benue when he encountered hoodlums on the outskirts of Wukari,” Olofu said.
“They stopped his car and asked him to come down, but the bandits subsequently shot him.
“He was initially taken to the teaching hospital in Wukari. Due to the severity of his injuries, we contacted the Vice-Chancellor of the Federal University, Wukari, who released an ambulance to transport him to Abuja with a team of doctors.
“However, he was somehow taken to the Benue State University Teaching Hospital in Makurdi, where he died in the early hours of today.”
Authorities have yet to officially comment on the attack.
