Rose Ejembi, Makurdi
The military have allegedly arrested wanted Benue militia warlord, Terwase Akwaza, alias Gana on Tuesday evening along Yandev roundabouts in Gboko, Benue State.
Gana, had been on the wanted list of security operatives after he was fingered in various criminal acts including the murder of the Senior Special Assistant to Governor Samuel Ortom on Special Security, Denen Igbana.
A bounty of N5 million was initially promised anyone who could give a useful information that would lead to Gana’s arrest in 2018. The ransom was later jacked up to N10 million and then N50million.
However, the militia kingpin who had enjoyed amnesty under Governor Ortom’s government had resurfaced after being in hiding for four years to surrender to government for a second amnesty following appeals by elders of the Sankera intermediate area.
Many prominent sons of the Sankera Area including traditional rulers and clergymen and politicians had gone to Katsina-Ala Local Government receive the repentant militias including Gana and were on their way to present them to the state government when they were allegedly rounded up at Yandev.
At the time of filing this report, it was learnt that the military searched the long convoy coming from Katsina-Ala and took away Gana while the other repentant militia were allowed to proceed to Makurdi.
It was further learnt that the military, after intercepting the convoy, searched all the vehicles until they saw Gana in the Council Chairman’s vehicle, asked other occupants of the vehicle to disembark and then took Gana away in the same vehicle.
It was not yet clear where Gana had been taken to but feelers have it that he might have been taken to Abuja.
Governor Ortom is about to address the state security council and the media who had been seated for over five hours now.
Daily Sun reports that itwas the second time he was giving up himself after surrendering catchment of arms and ammunition to Benue amnesty programme of Governor Samuel Ortom, which he granted to restive youths during his first tenure.
Details later….