Timeline: Terwase ‘Gana’ Akwaza: How Benue ‘Most Wanted Criminal’ Was Killed

A look at the events that led to the killing of Terwase ‘Gana’ Akwaza by the Nigerian Army on Tuesday has shown that the alleged Benue State ‘most wanted criminal’ had the chance to make it right, but misused it.

Gana, alongside his gang members, had reportedly terrorized Benue for many years before luck ran out on him on the day he was killed.

The Governor Samuel Ortom administration was said to have made efforts in the past to address the security challenges facing Benue, including the offer of amnesty and jobs to Gana and other suspected criminals in the state.

Gana and his gang members were said to have surrendered their arms for the second amnesty to the Benue government and that he was being conveyed to Makurdi to formalize the process for the second amnesty when the military blocked their convoy along Gbese-Gboko-Makurdi and killed him.

2015 Amnesty

In 2015, the Ortom-led government granted amnesty to over 500 suspected criminals, including Gana and his boys.

The murder of Governor Ortom’s special assistant on security, Denen Igbana, in 2016 was credited to Gana and his gang members.

Meanwhile, Ortom was said to have made it clear that the 2015 amnesty programme was in response to the security challenges facing the state and threatened to take drastic measures if the suspects returned to their old ways.

Over 600 assorted weapons and thousands of ammunition were reportedly recovered, while over 900 suspected criminals embraced the amnesty programme.

Declared Wanted In 2017

In 2017, the Benue State Government declared Gana wanted after he breached the terms of the amnesty programme by returning to crime.

The police in the state were said to have also placed N10 million bounty on Gana after the late suspect and his gang members were credited with some killings in the state. The police had invited him for questioning but he reportedly refused to honour the invitation.

Kidnappings, armed robbery, cattle rustling, and assassinations reportedly continued in the state. Many of the crimes were credited to Gana and his boys.

Ortom’s Warning

When it seemed Gana had declared war on the state, Governor Ortom had reached out to leaders of Gbishe community where Gana hailed from and urged them to ask their son to report to the police or face dire consequences.

The State Security Council had directed that Gana should be tracked and arrested as insecurity worsened in the state.

Ortom had warned that Gana would not know peace until he surrendered himself to the police: “Security agencies will continue to use the stick approach of the amnesty programme to fish out criminals in Benue State and I can assure you that Terwase Akwaza will have no hiding place.

“That is why I am warning anyone shielding him to stop doing so because security agencies will not spare such a person. You can see that the power bike and the explosives we recovered can destroy a bridge; we are closing down on him,” the governor had said.

Second Amnesty

As part of efforts to address rising insecurity in Benue, some elders from Sankera area were said to have initiated the process for a second amnesty to the suspects.

The elders which included those from Ukum, Logo, Katsina Ala LGA reportedly travelled to Katsina Ala LGA to receive the repentant criminals, including Gana.

The elders had held a ceremony with Gana and other suspects at Katsina Ala township stadium ahead of the formal process in Makurdi.

It was on their way that troops of Operation ‘Ayem Akpatuma III’ tracked them down along Gbese-Gboko-Makurdi road.

A shootout reportedly ensued, leading to the killing of Gana by the troops.