Suspected terrorist Gana caged, 23 gang members arrested, Nigerian military says

The Nigerian Army has revealed that about 23 gang members of suspected terrorist, Terwase Akwaza, alias Gana, have been arrested, while illegal checkpoints manned by his men in Benue State have been dismantled.

This was revealed by Force Commander of Operation ‘Whirl Stroke,’ Major General Adeyemi Yekini, on Tuesday, who also vowed during an interaction with journalists in Makurdi, to flush out criminals in Benue State.

He said, “We have stabilised Kastina-Ala, Gbishe and Tarkum areas as a result of our onslaught against Gana, which was not the case in the past. There is now a normal vehicular movement in the areas. We also extended onslaught on criminal elements in areas being used by kidnappers as their hideouts and destroyed them.

“We have successfully caged Gana and dismantled all illegal checkpoints manned by his men through which they extort money from innocent citizens.

“The war against him is not just on military fronts alone but also along the economic line, because we believe that if he doesn’t have money from kidnapping and extortion, he won’t be able to buy guns and other weapons to carry out his nefarious acts again.

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“Twenty-three of his men were also arrested and handed over to the police for prosecution.”

On the recent crisis in the Agatu Local Government Area of the state, Yekini said troops were deployed in the troubled communities to ensure peace and prevent a resurgence of violence in the area.

He said, “So far, we have initiated a peaceful dialogue through the state government on the need to eschew violence in Agatu. We have also organised the deployment of OPWS force in Agatu to ensure peaceful relations and prevent a resurgence of violence and ensure that the fishpond in contention is now opened to both communities for use.

“It is shameful that two neighbouring communities would kill each other the way they did. We  are determined to ensure that such doesn’t happen  again,” he added.

 

 

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