Wednesday, September 8, 2020 marked the end of one of the most wanted gangsters in the country.
His name is Terwase Akwaza alias Gana.He died in controversial circumstances, just as he had lived. He wanted to be seen as a savior and a defender of the Tiv people against external aggression.
But sources said that he perpetrated atrocities on his kinsmen even while claiming that he was protecting them against external aggressors. Mr. Akwaza was notorious for alleged several criminal activities including banditry, kidnapping, assassinations, ritual killings and cattle rustling.
First Amnesty when Governor Samuel Ortom initiated an Amnesty programme in 2015, Gana was the greatest beneficiary. On the last day of the programme, he turned in 84 assorted firearms and thousands of ammunition. He was granted Amnesty and made Leader of the beneficiaries.
The State Government made him a revenue consultant as part of his rehabilitation and that of the other beneficiaries and he made a fortune.Sources said he reneged after it was alleged that he sponsored the assassination of the Senior Special Assistant to the Governor on Special Security, Mr. Denen Igbana. Instead of making himself available for investigation and the judicial process, he chose to go back to his vomit. In fact, many concluded that Gana constituted himself into an alternate government and enjoyed the status of a maximum ruler in the jungle. Seccurity sources said his area of operation was mainly what is known as the Sankera geo-political axis which comprises Katsina-Ala, Ukum and Logo local government areas of Benue State.
His exploitsHe reportedly presided over the activities of that empire from the jungle of Gbise, his immediate community where he allegedly enjoyed the protection of the community which played a big role in shielding him from the arm of the law.
The Benue State Security Council moved against him by declaring him wanted and placing a bounty of N10 million which was later increased to N50 million on him.The state security apparatus carried out several expeditions to his enclave in a bid to arrest him, all to no avail. These efforts were later complemented by the Federal Government which joined the manhunt through, first “Operation Ayem A Kpatuma” and later “Operation Whirlstroke”.
All efforts to track and arrest him, however, proved abortive. Meanwhile, police sources said he ran an organized and sophisticated network of criminal activities in his chosen domain and conducted affairs with an iron fist. Any challenge to his authority was met with death.Sources revealed that at Akwaza’s orders, whole communities were razed down. His activities in five years between 2015 and 2020 led to the near total collapse of socio-economic activities in that axis.
He strangulated the entire Sankera area which used to be the most productive part of Benue State particularly in agriculture. It is this geo-political axis that gave Benue State the status of Food Basket of the Nation.
It was reported that Akwaza killed his victims with relish. He was alleged to have buried people alive and gunned down many at the slightest provocation. In this manner, several traditional rulers were killed in cold blood including the District Head of Mbayongo, Chief Aloo Alev, and his counterpart in Michihe, Chief Chiahemba Livinus Shom,in Katsina-Ala Local Government Area. His last victim amongst traditional rulers was Chief Awua Alabar, District Head of Kundav in Ukum Local Government Area, who was killed in the presence of his family.