A man suspected to be the chief priest to the late Benue’s militant leader, Terwase alias Gana, was among the 60 ‘criminals’ arrested and paraded by the Army Special Forces, on Wednesday.
The suspected kidnappers, bandits, armed robbers and gunrunners were paraded in Doma Town, Nasarawa State.
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According to the army, the priest was arrested alongside one of his men called ‘ Commander’ when his shrine was raided.
The Commander of the Camp, Major General Gadzama Moudhey Ali said that they had operated in the North West, North East and North Central Nigeria after receiving “credible information from good citizens which led to operations between Army and Nigerian Airforce which led to bursting of criminals dens to restore peace in the country.
He said: “In Benue, we have arrested the Chief Priest of the late Criminal Terwase alias Gana, one of his men called ‘ Commander’s among others and razed the Shrine. While another criminal, Paul Duguma died in Katsina Ala.
“In Niger State, Special Forces with 31 Artillery and the Nigerian Airforce, we nuetralized kidnappers, destroyed the dens of Alhaji Damina, while the kidnappers killed each other due to rivalry between the camps of Alhaji Kawuwajo and Zagalo in Kamfanin Wayo, a boundary Village between Niger and Kaduna State.
According to him, the special forces operated with 72 Airborne Brigade in Zungeru, Kuyanbana and Dutsen Magaji and dislodged the camps of Alhaji Maccido, Tukur and Alhaji Sarki.
The Special Forces Commander said, they operated with 1-Division Kaduna “which led to the arrest of the second in Command of the notorious kidnapper, Dogo Gide, and arrested gunrunners, informers and professional bailiffs.
Ali added: “We call on other governors to emulate the type of information being provided us by Governor Yahaya Bello of Kogi State. This type of information led us to destroy the Darul Islam branch of Boko Haram members in Toto Local Government Area of Nasarawa State recently.”
The Nigerian Army had in September killed Mr Terwase Akwaza, alias “Gana,” a ‘most wanted criminal’ in Benue State.
Gana was killed at a roadblock mounted by the Army along Gbese-Gboko-Makurdi road following an exchange of gunfire.
