How Army killed criminal gang leader, Terwase Akwaza, Gana, in Benue

The notorious criminal gang leader, Terwase Akwaza, a.k.a. Gana, on Tuesday fell to the bullets of the Nigerian Army after he had repented and surrendered for amnesty in Benue State. Sources in Benue told National Daily that Gana who has been declared wanted for a long time was persuaded by some peace negotiation intermediaries in Benue to surrender and accept amnesty which is being granted to repentant criminals, including Boko Haram terrorists in the northeast by the federal government, and militants by the Benue State government. According to our source, assured of his safety, Terwase Akwaza, a.k.a. Gana and 172 of his boys surrendered and pledging not to go back to criminal activities. Our source, however, said that on their way to Makurdi, some of Gana’s boys withdrew, discontinued the journey, and went back. The source said that 42 members continued the journey with Gana for the amnesty.

Gana and his boys were said to have proceeded to his local community where they met with the paramount ruler, Tor Sankera, some chiefs, priests and local government officials in Katsina-Ala Local Government before being handed over to federal security agents.

Our source said that on their way to Makurdi, the Army at a check point at Yanded near Gboko, stopped the convoy, searched the cars to identify the occupants. Gana was said to be killed the moment he was identified by the security operatives.

While the people of Benue State are showing sigh of relief from the violent crimes of the Gana gang following his killing by security operatives, some others are questioning the jungle justice and extra-judicial killing without trial in court. The stakeholders are also asking questions why Gana was denied amnesty after he had surrendered, resigning from criminal activities like the repentant Boko Haram terrorists that were granted amnesty and rehabilitated by the federal government.

However, the Commander of the Four Special Forces Command, Doma Local Government Area, Brigadier General Maude Ali Gadzama, was gathered to have on Tuesday acknowledged that Terwase Akwaza, Gana, has been killed.

Gadzama was said to have disclosed that the Army killed Gana on Tuesday evening in a gun battle with military operatives.

Contradicting the military, Governor Samuel Ortom of Benue State had alleged that soldiers snatched Gana from a government convoy of repentant militants in Gboko. The governor had said that the repentant militants were on their way to Makurdi when the Army intercepted the convoy.

Gana was declared wanted in 2017 by the Nigeria Police after the murder of Denen Igbana, Special Adviser on Security to Governor Ortom in 2016. Gana had absconded from Makurdi the moment he was linked to the killing of Ignana. The Benue State government had placed N10 million compensation prize on anyone with information on his whereabout that would lead to his arrest.

Benue State government had granted Gana amnesty in 2015, thereafter, Governor Ortom appointed him Special Adviser on local revenue collection.

There are, however, suspicions that Gana was silenced in a seeming grand plot to prevent him from exposing secrets of the criminal activities in Benue, essentially, the sponsors, among others.