Soldiers Dragged Benue Militia, Gana, Out Of Govt Convoy Before He Was Killed, Says Community Leader (photos)

More details have emerged about how a notorious militia leader in Benue State, Terwase Akwaza, aka Gana, was killed by the military on Tuesday.

Reports say Gana had come out of hiding to attend a public function with traditional rulers, clerics and political leaders at the Akume Atongo Stadium in Katsina-Ala, Benue state.

After the function, Gana was reportedly on his way to Makurdi the state capital to present himself to the state governor, Samuel Ortom who was waiting with his convoy that included political leaders, traditional rulers, clergymen and security agencies before he was whisked away by soldiers.A community leader, who confided to ThePunch in Makurdi, the state capital, said 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 thrown into a military vehicle and driven away.

The Commander of Operation Ayem A Kpatuma, Major General Ali Gadzama, had on Tuesday told Channels Television that Gana was killed in a gun battle with soldiers.

Read Also: Soldiers Kill Benue’s ‘Most Wanted Criminal’, Gana

However, ThePunch reports that the militia leader had between 11am and 2pm on Tuesday been 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, embraced amnesty.

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.

Then in 2015, the militia leader and others surrendered over 200 guns including AK-47 rifles in the state Government House.

However, the peace move was thwarted after the killing of the Senior Special Assistant to the state Governor on Security, Denen Igbane, in 2016. The incident then made the militia leader go back into hiding.

The community leader stated that the latest peace move efforts were initiated by some prominent indigenes , who urged Gana to drop arms and embrace peace.

He 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 source, the convoy was stopped by soldiers at a checkpoint in Gbitse on its way to Makurdi.

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.