By Ado Oyeyemi
Former Secretary to the Benue State Government, David Salifu, has died from gunshot injuries sustained during an attack by suspected bandits along the Wukari-Makurdi highway.
Salifu, who served under the administration of former Benue State Governor Gabriel Suswam, was also a lecturer at the Federal University, Wukari, Taraba State.
It was gathered that the former government official was travelling from Wukari to Makurdi on Thursday when armed men intercepted his vehicle on the outskirts of Wukari.
Sources said the attackers ordered him to step out of his vehicle and board a motorcycle.
However, he was reportedly shot after questioning their directive.
Confirming the incident on Friday, a close associate of the deceased and the African Democratic Congress’ Benue South Senatorial candidate, David Olofu, disclosed that Salifu died in the early hours of Friday at the Benue State University Teaching Hospital, Makurdi.
According to Olofu, the late Salifu was a member of his campaign council and one of his trusted associates.
He explained that after the attack, the victim was initially rushed to a hospital in Wukari for emergency treatment. Olofu added that efforts were made to transfer him to Abuja, with the Vice-Chancellor of the Federal University, Wukari, providing an ambulance and a medical team for the evacuation.
He, however, said Salifu was eventually taken to the Benue State University Teaching Hospital in Makurdi, where he later died while receiving treatment.
The reason the injured former SSG was taken to Makurdi instead of Abuja could not be immediately established.
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Attempts to obtain an official response from the Taraba State Police Command were unsuccessful as of the time of filing this report.
