Soldiers apprehend Benue’s wanted kingpin armourers

Soldiers of Operation Whirl Stroke (OPWS) have apprehended five persons alleged to be amour bearers and suppliers of Benue State most wanted suspected criminal kingpin, Terwase Akawaza, popularly known as ‘Gana.’

The Force Commander of OPWS, Major General Adeyemi Yekini, paraded the suspects at the weekend alongside others arrested for various crimes in different states of Nasarawa, Taraba and Benue which made up the Operation’s areas of coverage.

Yekini told newsmen that of the five suspects, Dauda Atara and Andrew Imbwase nicknamed ‘Don Moji’ who are major armourers and supplier of weapons to Gana were nabbed in Abuja and Makurdi respectively while the remaining three were arrested during a raid operation at the kingpin (Gana)’s hometown of Gbise in Katsina-Ala local government area of Benue state.

“I can tell you with every sense of responsibility that this crop of criminals are perhaps, the most deadly set of criminals that we have ever arrested since the inception of Operation Whirl Stroke and our hope is that, the prosecuting authorities will do a good job so that these people can be removed from the society for a very long time.

“Recalled that we had a press briefing during which I promised that we shall be focusing on how to break the weapons supply chain that has been fuelling criminalities in Benue, Nasarawa and Taraba states.

“I am very happy to inform you that we have been able to record some successes. Our star suspect today is Don Moji. He is the number one weapon supplier to Gana; he is responsible for between 80 and 90 percent of weapons that Gana has been using to terrorise the people of Benue state,” the OPWS commander narrated.

Meanwhile, the duo of Don Moji and Atara in an interview with newsmen admitted the allegations against them in connection with supplying arms and weapons.

Moji confessed that, “I was contracted to supply weapons and I contacted somebody in Shendam Local Government area of Plateau State. The last time, I supplied 2000 ammunitions to politicians in Gboko and I got my supply through one Dauda Atara who is my friend. I am the one who led army to his house in North Bank after l was arrested.

Dauda, on his part, said, “What Don Moji said is true because I was the one that gave him all the guns and ammunitions. It was not even three AK47 that we gave out to politicians but four. I supplied weapons to Gana but at a time l stopped because he wanted me to join his gang but I refused. I have been supplying guns to Gana since 2014.

“I also supplied 2000 ammunitions to Moji and I got them from one Bala Igige in North Bank area of Makurdi.”