Governor Samuel Ortom of Benue State on Wednesday expressed shock over the arrest and killing of Terwase Akwaza, popularly known as Gana by military authorities.
Gana was reportedly arrested, taken away and killed by soldiers after the government convoy in which he was travelling was intercepted in Gboko while coming to Makurdi.
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The governor had expressed shock about the killing of Gana while briefing journalists in Makurdi on the state of his administration second amnesty programme which covers only Sankera geopolitical zone.
“Shortly after we left the briefing yesterday (Tuesday night), there was a press statement from the military special forces in Doma, Nasarawa State indicating that Gana had been killed,” he said.
Ortom added that he was still awaiting briefing from the Commander Operation Ayem A Kpatuma in Doma, Major General Moundhey Gadzama Ali who promised he was coming to brief him on their operation.
The governor stated that five repentant youths from Ukum Local Government Area who were among those arrested by the Nigerian Army were released and were conveyed to the Government House in Makurdi by the Council Chairman of Ukum, Hon. Stephen Ayua to be part of the amnesty offer.
He maintained that until Ali briefs him on the circumstances which led to the killing of Gana, he would not jump into conclusion.
“He (Ali) did said there was a shoot out. I don’t want to join issues with security agencies but I have a responsibility to protect lives and property,” the governor added.
Ortom therefore urged the people of Sankera to remain calm as he was still investigating circumstances surrounding the arrest and killing of Gana before taking action on the matter, stressing that the amnesty for repentant outlaws was not truncated.
Meanwhile, mixed reactions have continued to trial the manner in which the gangster was reportedly killed even as there were apprehension among residents of Sankera axis.
A cross section of people who spoke to our correspondent in Makurdi all declined their names on print for fear of being linked with the saga.
One respondent, a legal practitioner, said what the Army did was very wrong, alleging that if what was in the public domain were anything to go by, the death of Gana could be attributed to extra-judicial killing.
But, a prominent politician in the state, thinks that the killing was a ‘good riddance to bad rubbish’ irrespective of the circumstances of the death of the outlaw as he noted that peace would now return to the area.
A youth leader on his part blamed the governor, elders and top politicians from Gana’s home area as being responsible for his death, saying they betrayed him.
“No one is saying that Gana was good, he actually committed so much atrocities such that traditional rulers in his area were not spared of his venom. He constituted an authority to himself and carried on like a demigod.
“But, why wait until he surrendered himself for peace to reign before seizing and killing him? The circumstances of his death had rather drew sympathy for him rather than condemnation,” the youth leader claimed.
