Former Secretary to the Benue State Government, David Salifu, has died from gunshot wounds he sustained 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 the Federal University, Wukari, Taraba State.
According to sources, he was travelling from Wukari to Makurdi on Thursday when armed men intercepted his vehicle. The attackers reportedly ordered him to get out of the car and climb onto a motorcycle but allegedly opened fire after he challenged them.
A close associate of the deceased and the African Democratic Congress’ Benue South senatorial candidate, David Olofu, confirmed the incident in a telephone interview on Friday, saying Salifu passed away in the early hours of the day at the Benue State University Teaching Hospital, Makurdi.
“He was a member of my campaign council and a confidant. I learnt that he (Salifu) left Wukari and was coming to Benue when he encountered hoodlums at the outskirts of Wukari.
“They stopped his car and asked him to come down but the bandits thereafter shot him.
“He was taken to the teaching hospital in Wukari but due to the seriousness of the injury, we spoke to the Vice Chancellor of the University of Wukari who released an ambulance to bring him to Abuja with a team of doctors.
“But somehow, he was taken to the Benue State University Teaching Hospital, Makurdi where he died early hours of today,” Olofu said.
It remains unclear why Salifu was eventually moved to Makurdi instead of Abuja for further treatment.
Attempts to obtain a response from the Taraba State Police Command were unsuccessful as of the time this report was filed.
