The Nigerian military, on Tuesday, said the wanted militia leader in Benue State, Terwase Akwaza, aka Gana had been shot dead.
Commander of the Four Special Forces Command, Doma local government area of the state, Brig. Gen. Maude Ali Gadzama, told journalists that Akwaza was killed during a gun duel with military personnel.
For now, the circumstances that led to his actual killing are still unknown.
- The military early this year had placed a N10 million bounty on the man said to have killed several people in the state.
Benue State Governor, Samuel Ortom, confirmed Gana’s alleged arrest by soldiers.
Ortom, who disclosed this at a media briefing at the Benue Peoples House in Makurdi, said Gana, who had surrendered to the state government’s amnesty programme, was being escorted to Makurdi when troops of the operation whirl stroke arrested him at a security checkpoint on the outskirts of Gboko.
The governor also disclosed that he had received 42 ex-criminals from Ukum, Logo and Katsina-Ala local government areas of the state.
He said the Commander of Operation Whirl Stroke, Maj. Gen.Adeyemi Yekini, had confirmed to him that they were in possession of the wanted militia leader.
“Gen. Yekini has confirmed to me that they are carrying out an operation and he will brief me when they are done. He told me that they are with Gana. So, I am waiting to hear from him,” Ortom said.
