More facts have emerged on how the most wanted suspect in Benue State, Terwase Akwaza, also known as Gana, was killed by the military on Tuesday despite accepting amnesty.
A community leader who spoke on the condition of anonymity with Punch, noted that Gana was in a government convoy when he was dragged out of a car by soldiers at a checkpoint in Gbitse, near Yandev roundabout in the Gboko Local Government Area of the state.
The community leader further stated that Gana was thrown into a military vehicle and driven away.
Recall that the Commander of Operation Ayem A Kpatuma, Major General Ali Gadzama, on Tuesday claimed that Gana was killed in a gun battle with soldiers.
But it was gathered that the militia leader had between 11am and 2pm on Tuesday at the Katsina Ala Stadium in the presence of prominent indigenes of the Sankera District of the state, including the First Class Chief of the area , His Royal Highness, Abu Shuluwa, embraced amnesty.
The community leader added that the peace move efforts were initiated by some prominent indigenes , who urged Gana to drop arms and embrace peace.
He said, “He (Gana) actually came out because of the assurance given by the prominent indigenes and traditional rulers and he was not armed when he was dragged out of the car and taken away to be killed.”
“The militia leader sat in-between the Chairman of the Katsina-Ala Local Government Area, Alfred Atera, and a priest in one of the cars in the government convoy.”
According to the source, the convoy was stopped by soldiers at a checkpoint in Gbitse on its way to Makurdi.
He stated, “As soon as we got to the military checkpoint, some soldiers who spotted Gana had to pull down the priest, drag Gana into their waiting vehicle and zoom off.”
