Gana: Tiv youth group commends Army

The Tiv Youth Advancement Vanguard ( TYAV) has heaped praises and commendations on the Nigerian Army and other security agencies for the killing of wanted militia warlord, Terwase Akwaza, popularly known as Gana in a gun battle.

Gana who terrorised communities in Benue, Taraba and Nasarawa and particularly Katsina-ala, Ukum and Logo local government areas of Benue was killed during a gun battle with the Nigerian Army in a community along Gboko- Makurdi road.

The president of TYAV, Barr. Tyohemba Denen, in a press conference in Makurdi said the people of Benue, Taraba and Nasarawa and particularly Katsina-ala, Ukum and Logo local in Benue state will heive a sigh of relief now that the wanted militia was killed.

According to him, “The people of Sankera comprising of Katsina-ala, Ukum and Logo local governments of Benue State where Terwase Akwaza alias Gana turned into his territory, where he terrorised law abiding citizens, imposed levies and taxes on the people, raped, maimed and completely obliterated the socio- economic lives of the people of the area will remain eternally grateful to the Nigerian Army and other security agencies for the killing of Gana who has caused them untold pains and sorrow.”

The Tiv group further tasked the security agencies to sustain the onslaught on accomplices of the wanted militia leader within and outside the territory he operated no matter how highly placed.

The group particularly asked the security agencies to investigate Senator representing Benue North East, Senator Gabriel Suswam.

They also asked the Department of State y Services (DSS) to continue investigation into allegations of the senator having ties with the militia leader.

“The Department of State Services had in the past traced calls between Suswam and Akwaza when he (Akwaza) was declared wanted by security agencies. It is also public knowledge that in 2017, the Department of State Services arrested him for illegal possession of firearms following a raid on his Abuja residence.

“It is reported that the DSS found weapons ranging from a pistol with two magazines and 29 rounds of ammunition, a mini-uzi with two magazines containing 10 rounds and four rounds, 42 extra rounds of ammunition in a pack; one AK-47; 21 Certificates of Occupancy and one offer of statutory right of occupancy; 23 luxury watches; and 45 keys to various cars. He was subsequently arrested in June 2018 over security issues in Benue state.

“We believe that Gana was the leader of gang with several members. We call on the security agencies to go after his gang members, arrest and prosecute them so that permanent peace can be restored in the area,” he said.

In 2015, the Benue state government had granted amnesty to Gana and over 700 criminals, but notorious killer later abandoned the amnesty and went back to criminality when he was accused of complicity in the murder of Governor Samuel Ortom’s Special Adviser on Security, Hon. Denen Igbana.

Governor Ortom declared Gana wanted and placed a bounty of N10 million and later increased it to N50 million for anyone who will give information leading to the arrest of Gana in 2017.

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