How Ex Benue SSG, Prof. David Salifu was killed by armed men in an ambush

By Johnson Arua

Former Secretary to the Benue State Government (SSG), Prof. David Salifu, has died after being attacked by suspected armed men along the Wukari–Joota Road in Katsina-Ala Local Government Area of Benue State.

Salifu, a Professor of Public Administration and lecturer at the Federal University Wukari, was reportedly ambushed while travelling to Makurdi to attend the burial of his uncle.

He died late Thursday night at the Federal Medical Centre (FMC), Makurdi, where he was receiving treatment for gunshot injuries.

Confirming the incident, a former aide to the deceased, Mr. Ben Ekah, said the attackers intercepted Salifu's vehicle on the Wukari–Joota Road, a border route between Benue and Taraba states, and dragged him out before shooting him at close range.

According to Ekah, the victim's driver narrated that they were returning from the Federal University Wukari, where Salifu lectured, when they were attacked.

"The driver said they were coming from the Federal University Wukari where he lectures and were waylaid along the Wukari–Joota Road, a border community between Taraba and Benue states, in Katsina-Ala Local Government Area.

"According to the driver, the armed men were trying to take him away and he kept asking them what they wanted.

They continued dragging him until one of them suddenly pulled out a gun and shot him at close range in the stomach.

"After shooting him, they left him in a pool of blood. His driver, however, managed to take him back to Wukari, where surgeons successfully removed the bullets from his stomach.

"Yesterday (Thursday), he was brought to Makurdi for further treatment at the Makurdi Teaching Hospital, but unfortunately he died at about 12 midnight," Ekah said.

He described the late academic as a peaceful and dedicated scholar, adding that he had left an ongoing Senate meeting at the university to travel home for his uncle's burial before the tragic attack.

"He was a lecturer at the Federal University Wukari and the Dean of the Faculty of Social Sciences. We learnt that the university management was holding a Senate meeting when he excused himself to attend his uncle's burial scheduled for today. We all knew him as a peaceful man," he added.

Prof. Salifu served as Benue State's Secretary to the State Government during the administration of former Governor Gabriel Suswam from January 2011 to May 2015.

Efforts to obtain an official reaction from the Benue State Police Command were unsuccessful, as the Police Public Relations Officer could not be reached at the time of filing this report.