Gana: Benue’s most wanted criminal now operating from Cameroon

The mere mention of his name evokes a sense of terror. Apart from tormenting residents along the Benue, Taraba border, he is dreaded by communities within the Sankera axis of Benue North East zone, where his nefarious activities led to wanton killings and destruction of property. Terwase Akwaza, otherwise called Gana, Benue’s most wanted criminal […]

The mere mention of his name evokes a sense of terror. Apart from tormenting residents along the Benue, Taraba border, he is dreaded by communities within the Sankera axis of Benue North East zone, where his nefarious activities led to wanton killings and destruction of property. Terwase Akwaza, otherwise called Gana, Benue’s most wanted criminal appears to be missing in action lately. But checks by Daily Trust on Sunday indicate that the notorious bandit is now operating from neighbouring Cameroon.

Although his current whereabouts to a large extent appear to be a matter of conjectures, checks by Daily Trust on Sunday revealed that Gana may have fled to neighbouring Cameroon even as security forces say they are closing up on him.

This much was disclosed by some locals in Kastina-Ala Local Government Area, where Gana hails from. The locals who wouldn’t want their names in print for security reasons said the kingpin fled to Cameroon where he is currently taking refuge, yet coordinating attacks on communities along the Benue, Taraba border.

Multiple sources in villages around Kastina-Ala, Ukum and Logo LGAs respectively, where the wanted criminal had in the past unleashed terror say they believe that Gana no longer lives within their axis.

“He is hiding in the borders of Cameroon since the myriads of offensive hunting for him by the combined security team in the state, including the military”, said a source. However, others said the unpredictable kingpin could still be within the country but may be lying low.

Daily Trust on Sunday recalls that the last thing heard about Gana’s family was in October last year when Troops of Operation Whirl Stroke (OPWS) said they killed the wife of the militia’s kingpin in Sai community of Kastina-Ala LGA after simultaneous raids against the gang believed to be terrorizing that part of the state.

Also, on September 21, 2018 the Police in Benue State confirmed the killing of five persons in Tse Vue village of Ukum Local Government Area of the state by gunmen believed to be working for Gana.

The then spokesman of the Benue command, DSP Moses Yamu, had said in a statement that the police received a report that Tse Vue village via Ayati in Ukum LGA was attacked at about 9:00am by suspected Shitile militia (Gana boys).

Yamu said that operatives led by the Divisional Police Officer (DPO) in Ukum, on reaching the scene, recovered five unconscious male victims who appeared to have been strangled using ropes and one man who was injured and they were rushed to the hospital.

In another development, in October, 2018, the Force Commander of OPWS, Major General, Adeyemi Yekini, said troops under his command neutralized three militia men allegedly loyal to the wanted militia leader, Gana. Yekini told newsmen in Makurdi, that his men achieved the feat after they engaged the militia in a gun duel, following a tip off.

He explained that the troops in Zaki Biam were alerted that militia men loyal to Gana had launched attack on a part of the town with intent to kill and loot, so the soldiers swiftly responded.

Similarly, in November, 2018, the Acting Director of Defence Information, Brig-Gen. John Agim, while briefing newsmen in Makurdi on the successes of the OPWS within the period under the launch of operation 777 since October 8, last year, stated that offensive raid was carried out against Gana men.

“In the course of Operation 777, OPWS troops have conducted a total of 49 offensive operations and 13 non-kinetic activities in the first six weeks of the operation. Ten of the offensive operations in Benue were against Gana and militia men aligned to him,” he said.

Contacted about the current whereabouts of Gana, the OPWS commander, Maj.-Gen. Adeyemi Yekini simply said he would rather not talk about it in order to not to jeopardize ongoing operations.

“The current crisis in the area is between two Tiv clans namely; Shiltile and Ikyurav, which is another clan in Kastina-Ala. Gana is from Shitile so in a way one can say he is involved in the crisis. I can’t talk much about his current whereabouts so as not to jeopardize ongoing operations,” Yekini said.

From amnesty back to banditry

Gana’s first public appearance in Benue was precisely on Monday, August 31, 2015. Many people were seeing him for the very first time at the Government House in Makurdi where an amnesty programme was organized for him and other armed bandits. Before then, he remained invincible while his dreaded name, Gana was only mentioned in hushed tones.

On that day no fewer than 84 weapons were publicly surrendered by Gana to the consternation of invited guests, many of whom cringed in utter bewilderment while the notorious militia kingpin performed the ritual of handing over the lethal weapons to government.

At that occasion, Gana reportedly confessed that the incessant land disputes between his Tiv kinsmen in Benue and Taraba states had led him into terrorism. Consequently he fortified himself to defend his people who were being overrun by the enemy. There was  show of emotion as Gana apologised and pledged absolute support for the amnesty programme on behalf of his group which he said made him head of the local militia to ward off attacks in his Gbishe community of Kastina-Ala Local Government Area.

Coming at a time when Governor Samuel Ortom was barely three months in office, many security observers saw the feat as not only historic but as an indication of the determination of the new administration to bring an end to the nefarious activities of armed bandits across the food basket state.

However, not a few sceptics had expressed scepticisms and fears that Gana’s repentance might be a mere smokescreen.

Sequel to surrendering his weapons of mass killings and destruction, a repented Gana was given a new job- that of superintending over revenue generation across the 23 local government areas of the state. This was after participating in a one-month reformation programme together with other youths that denounced their bad ways.

But hardly had the footsteps of those who attended the amnesty ceremony faded than Gana returned to the trenches. The first sign that Gana had backslidden was the murder of an aide to the governor, Denen Igbana in May, 2016. Gana was allegedly fingered in the murder of Igbaba who, ironically, was the arrowhead of Gana’s amnesty.

Soon thereafter there was an orgy of killings in Kastina-Ala, Ukum and Logo local government areas. Also linked to Gana was the killing of over 20 victims at the Zaki-Biam market on March 22, 2017. The incident had occurred after gunmen suspected to be his boys opened fire on innocent traders and buyers at the market.

Gana was also linked with various crimes in the state, ranging from kidnapping, cattle rustling, assassinations and armed robbery. Apart from allegedly carrying out these nefarious activities in the area, the notorious Gana was alleged to have been engaged by politicians before, during and after the general elections of 2011 and 2015 in masterminding deadly operations in the area.

Given these and other killings linked to him things fell apart between Gana and the government following which he was declared wanted and a N5 million bounty placed on his head. His amnesty was also revoked.

Since then, several arrests of suspected criminals in connection with Gana had been made but he is yet to be captured. In August 2016, the Benue State government authorised the siege on Gbishe, the country home of Gana, in an attempt to arrest him. But in spite of the siege on the village as well as the review of the ransom upward to N10 million the whereabouts of Gana remained unknown while security operatives appear helpless in arresting him.

The Defence Headquarters (DHQ) said last week that troops of Operation Whirl Stroke, deployed to counter banditry in the North-Central had rescued three kidnapped victims in a building located in Gana’s family compound at Gbise in Katsina Ala Local Government Area of Benue State.

However, Gana was nowhere to be found during a predawn raid carried out in the early hours of Friday, April 26, 2019, during which the kidnap victims were rescued.

In April, 2017, the Nigeria Police Force said it recovered a huge cache of arms and ammunition from the house of Gana. The immediate past Inspector-General of Police, Ibrahim Idris had disclosed this at the monthly IG conference with senior police officers at the Force Headquarters, Abuja.

He said Gana deceived the public by accepting the amnesty declared for hoodlums by the Benue State government, adding that he surrendered Dane guns and old weapons while keeping dangerous, sophisticated weapons in his armoury.

“Gana deceived the public by accepting amnesty and surrendered a few old guns, but he kept dangerous weapons in his bunker. With the arms he had, you would think he wants to attack a whole country”, he said.