Troops neutralize suspect linked to ex-Benue SSG Salifu’s killing

Troops of Operation Whirl Stroke, OPWS, have killed a suspected bandit believed to be linked to the attack that resulted in the death of former Secretary to the Government, SSG, of Benue State, Professor David Salifu.

The development was disclosed in a statement issued on Monday by the Acting Media Information Officer of OPWS, Ahmad Zubairu.

Zubairu said the operation was carried out in Jotar village, close to the Quarantine Checkpoint, after security operatives received credible intelligence about the activities of suspected kidnappers in the area.

According to Zubairu, troops deployed at Kyado quickly moved to the location on July 2, 2026, to stop the criminal gang from carrying out its planned operation.

“On arrival at the scene, troops engaged the armed suspects in a fierce gun battle, neutralising one of the terrorists while others fled with suspected gunshot wounds,” he said.

The military said soldiers recovered one AK-47 rifle and two empty magazines from the scene after the exchange of fire.

It added that preliminary investigations suggest the deceased suspect was part of the gang responsible for the attack on motorists along the Wukari–Makurdi highway, during which Prof. Salifu sustained the gunshot injuries that eventually led to his death.

DAILY POST recalls that Prof. Salifu, who served as Secretary to the Benue State Government under former Governor Gabriel Suswam and was also a lecturer at the Federal University, Wukari, died in the early hours of July 3, 2026, at the Benue State University Teaching Hospital, BSUTH, in Makurdi.

He was reportedly travelling from Wukari to Makurdi on July 2, 2026, when suspected kidnappers attacked commuters along the Wukari–Zaki Biam road, a major route connecting Taraba and Benue states.

A close associate of the late professor and the African Democratic Congress, ADC, candidate for Benue South Senatorial District, David Olofu, had earlier said the attackers intercepted Salifu’s vehicle, ordered him out and shot him.

The Chief Press Secretary to Benue State Governor Hyacinth Alia, Tersoo Kula, also confirmed that the former SSG was shot by suspected kidnappers after attempting to escape being abducted.

Following the attack, Salifu was first taken to a hospital in Wukari before he was transferred to BSUTH in Makurdi, where he later succumbed to his injuries.

His passing attracted tributes from Governor Hyacinth Alia, former Governor Gabriel Suswam and several political leaders, who described him as a committed public servant and distinguished academic.

Reacting to the successful operation, the Force Commander of OPWS, Major General Moses Gara, commended the troops for their bravery and professionalism.

He urged security personnel to sustain the offensive against criminal groups operating across Benue, Taraba and Nasarawa states, while encouraging members of the public to continue providing credible intelligence, assuring them that all useful information would be handled confidentially and acted upon without delay.

Troops neutralize suspect linked to ex-Benue SSG Salifu’s killing