Benue: Soldiers dragged militia leader, Gana out of govt convoy

More facts have emerged about the killing of notorious militia leader, Terwase Akwaza, alias Gana, in Benue State, by the military on Tuesday despite embracing amnesty.

According to a community leader, who spoke with journalists in Makurdi, the state capital, Gana was in a government convoy when he was dragged out of a car by soldiers at a checkpoint in Gbitse,  near Yandev roundabout in the Gboko Local Government  Area of the state.

The community leader said the militia leader was then thrown into a military vehicle and driven away.

This was in contrast to the report given by Commander of Operation Ayem A Kpatuma,  Major General Ali Gadzama, on Tuesday on Channels Television that Gana was killed in a  gun battle with soldiers.

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It was gathered that Gana had embraced amnesty between 11am and 2pm on Tuesday at the Katsina-Ala Stadium in the presence of prominent indigenes of the Sankera District of the state, including the First Class Chief of the area, His Royal Highness, Abu Shuluwa.

The  Sankera zone consisting of  Logo, Katsina-Ala and Ukum local government areas has been the worst hit by the activities of Gana and his gang since 2009.

In an earlier attempt to embrace amnesty, in 2015, the notorious militia leader and others had surrendered no fewer than 200 guns including AK-47 rifles in the state Government House.

However, the move for amnesty was thwarted after the killing of the Senior Special Assistant to the state Governor on Security,  Denen Igbane, in 2016.  After the incident,  the militia leader went back into hiding.

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Also, according to the community leader, the latest efforts at amnesty were initiated by some prominent indigenes, who persuaded Gana to drop arms and embrace peace.

The community leader said, “He (Gana) actually came out because of the assurance given by the prominent indigenes and traditional rulers and he was not armed when he was dragged out of the car and taken away to be killed.

“The militia leader sat in-between the Chairman of the Katsina-Ala Local Government Area, Alfred Atera, and a priest in one of the cars in the government convoy.”

According to the community leader, the convoy was stopped by soldiers at a checkpoint in Gbitse on its way to Makurdi

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He stated, “As soon as we got to the  military checkpoint, some soldiers who spotted Gana had to pull down  the priest, drag Gana into their waiting vehicle and zoom off.”

Benue communities fear reprisals

Meanwhile, residents of the  Sankera zone on Wednesday expressed their fear of reprisal attacks from members of Gana’s gang.

A trader in Katsina-Ala, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said, “We heard that many of the repentant militias who saw what happened along the road turned back and they might likely return to the trenches.

“These people may see it as betrayal and want to unleash terror on the people in this area.”

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The state Governor, Samuel Ortom, has expressed shock over the arrest and killing of Gana by soldiers.

In an interview with journalists at the Government House, Makurdi on  Wednesday,  the governor explained the second amnesty programme of his administration which covered the Sankera geopolitical zone and added that he was still awaiting a briefing from the commander of Operation Ayem A Kpatuma.

When asked if the killing of Gana had sabotaged the amnesty programme, Ortom said that the programme was not truncated as those who could not get to Makurdi due to the confusion created by the military operation would be given another chance.

He then urged the people of Sankera to remain calm as he was still investigating circumstances surrounding the arrest and killing of Gana.

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He said, “Shortly after we left yesterday night, there was a press statement issued by the special force, that is Operation Ayem A Kpatuma,  in Doma, Nasarawa State.

“I reached out to the commander of the force and told him that I was surprised and needed an explanation.

“He assured me that he would come and brief me,  but I must say that I am surprised by what happened. I do not want to take issue with the military but I have a duty to protect the lives of the people.”

Set up judicial panel, Suswam urges  FG

Meanwhile, a  former governor of Benue state and senator representing the Benue North East Senatorial District,  Gabriel  Suswam, has urged the Federal Government to set up a judicial panel to unravel the alleged killing of Gana by soldiers.

In his reaction to the incident, Suswam released a statement in Abuja titled, ‘A time to heal,’ in which he stated that the action of the soldiers could frustrate the peace already being achieved in the state following Gana’s decision to embrace dialogue and surrender his arms.

Suswam said, “Even war criminals captured alive are entitled to certain rights. The claim that Gana was killed in a gunfight needs further explanations because those who accompanied him and who watched him being taken away, including his local government chairman, do not believe he was in possession of any arms.

“An independent judicial commission of inquiry will unravel facts of the matter to serve as lessons for the future.”

Appealing for calm, he said, “The events of September 8, 2020 in my senatorial district where repentant criminals who had surrendered after extensive persuasions were singled out and killed extra-judicially leaves a sour taste and has opened a gaping wound that requires all efforts to heal.

“It is no secret that my senatorial district has been traumatised and the people terrorised by activities of criminal gangs led by Mr Terwase Agwaza alias Gana for many years.

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“The consequences of this endless terrorism have been a steady decline of economic and social activities leaving a once prosperous people pauperised.

“Markets no longer attract traders, schools are closed and farmlands abandoned. Politics in the area has become a war with uncontrolled proliferation of dangerous weapons.

“No responsible leader will idly stand by and watch his community become a theatre of war and a gangster’s paradise.

“It is with this solution mindset that traditional rulers, clergymen and elders of the area decided to utilise means of constructive engagement and dialogue to ensure that youths of the area do not become tools for the destruction of that society.

“The Benue State Government and security agencies have long desired for a return to normalcy, peace, prosperity and security of the area.

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“That is why some leaders were mandated to reach out to these outlaws to persuade them to drop their arms and channel their energies towards the rebuilding of our thoroughly battered community.

“We were all excited to see the dreaded Gana come out of hiding to the warm embrace of our traditional rulers, clerics and political leaders at a public function at the Akume Atongo Stadium in Katsina-Ala.

“Our joy was multiplied when we saw him along with his militia surrender arms and publicity renounce a life of crime. Our revered king extracted a pledge from him never to turn his kingdom into a wasteland.

“Those present at this forum heaved a great sigh of relief with the thought that finally, a life full of uncertainty has come to an end.

“I was totally dumbfounded to learn that while Gana was on his way to Makurdi the state capital to present himself to the state governor who was waiting, his long convoy that included political leaders, traditional rulers, clergymen and security agencies was ambushed by allegedly armed soldiers and he was isolated and taken away.

“In the midst of the confusion, pictures began to circulate on social media of the bullet-ridden body of Gana with a rifle callously placed on his side.

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“While I have been consistent in condemning the reign of terror he unleashed on his community, I cannot in good conscience as a lawyer of over three decades and senior parliamentarian accept cold-blooded extra-judicial murder of an unarmed person as a solution to our security problems.

“The lessons of the Boko Haram escalation after a similar murder of its leader are still here with us.

“If this method is accepted as a norm in our country, there will be no need for laws and courts. We stand to benefit more by subjecting suspects to due process of the law.

“Information extracted from a living Gana would have helped security agents get to the root of activities of criminals.

“By this Gestapo style execution, we have missed an opportunity to learn vital lessons about the structure of crime in the area.”

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