Finally, military kills dreaded Benue militia leader, ‘Gana’

The Commander of the Four Special Forces Command, Doma local government area of Nasarawa State, Brigadier General Maude Ali Gadzama on Tuesday, confirmed the killing of Terwase Akwaza, alias ‘Gana’.

Gadzama revealed that Gana met his Waterloo yesterday evening in a firefight with military personnel.

However, the Benue State governor, Samuel Ortom, said soldiers snatched Gana from a government convoy of repentant militants in Gboko.

It would be recalled that earlier yesterday, Gana, along with 172 militia boys, had reportedly announced his readiness to embrace peace in the presence of traditional rulers, priests, and local government officials in Katsina-Ala local government in Benue State.

“They were on their way to Makurdi when they were intercepted by military officials,” Ortom said.

Gana had since 2016 been declared wanted by the Benue State Governor and a bounty of over N50 million placed on him.

Gana, considered to be a ‘high profile’ militia was reported to have arrived Katsina-Ala, headquarters of Sankera axis on Tuesday with the social media awash with pictures of his heroic reception at the Akume Atongo Stadium, Katsina-Ala where he was received by traditional rulers and other stakeholders from the axis.

NAN reports that troops of Operation Whirl Stroke, (OPWS) have been on the trail of the dreaded criminal with his base at Gbise in Katsina-ala destroyed and his militia members killed while several others including his arms bearer were arrested.

Barely a week ago, the Tor Sankera, Chief Abu Shuluwa convened a meeting to discuss the raging security challenges in the axis comprising of three local governments of Katsina-Ala, Ukum and Logo. At the meeting, it was agreed that the criminals who willingly laid down their arms should be considered for amnesty by the state government.

This, was subsequently granted by Governor Samuel Ortom last week Thursday while addressing the people during the commissioning of roads and other projects in the area. The stage was therefore set for another amnesty to be granted to Gana alongside hundreds of his allies.

It was gathered that in line with the amnesty arrangement the convoy conveying Gana to Makurdi for the programme alongside over 172 repentant criminals was allegedly intercepted at Masaje.