Police arrest killer of Ortom’s aide

A notorious criminal gang member in Benue state, Mr. Terwase Akwaza responsible for the killing of Senior Special Assistant on Special Security to Governor Samuel Ortom, Mr. Denen Igbana has been arrested by troops of Operation Whirl Stroke (OPWS).

Force Commander, OPWS, Major General Adeyemi Yekini who briefed newsmen at the Tactical Air Command in Makurdi after clearance operation conducted by the troops last week in Benue, Taraba and Nasarawa said the culprit was arrested by the troops of 93 battalion in Taraba and has already confessed to the killing of THE Governor’s Security Assistant, who was murdered in 2016.

He said operations codenamed Operation Dark Down and Operation Deadly Strike, supported by Mi35 Helicopter from the Nigerian Air Force (NAF) and other surveillance aircrafts took place mostly around the lower Benue axis and Katsina Ala, which have been notorious for killing of innocent civilians in the past.

According to him, on Saturday 16 June, OPWS in conjunction with 72 and 93 battalion soldiers attacked and bombarded the camp of notorious militia leader, Mr. Terwase Akwaza popularly known as ‘Gana’ at Ayaka, in Katsina Ala Benue state and recovered weapons, amongst other things.

He said “Prior to the attack, NAF Mi35 gunship helicopter carried out aerial bombardment of the camp, which led to the dislodgement of Gana and his armed men.

“Notably two members of the gang were captured while another member was arrested by the troops of 93 Battalion towards Taraba state.

“The third gang member arrested in Taraba has already confessed to killing the former Security Assistant to Governor Ortom.

“Following an armed reconnaissance by OPWS conducted earlier using Mi35 Helicopters at camp Ayaka, some men were sighted loitering around the destroyed camp and promptly the air component of the OPWS deployed the Mi35 which attacked and neutralised the men”.

However, information from members of the community in the affected areas indicated that the sting operations may have recorded a significant casualty in the affected communities by the sustained strikes carried out by the military.

According to a source from the community, at the moment it is difficult to ascertain the number of civilian casualties while the bombing lasted.

“The area has been cordoned off by the military thus denying people access to ascertain the level of damage caused by the air strikes,” the source said.

Although, the Force Commander explained that the military had sustained the air strikes with minimal casualties, he did not give a precise figure, but noted that the military was precise on targets.

General Yekini further said, in an earlier operation carried out Thursday, troops engaged herdsmen who fled using cows as shed noting that some of the cows were killed while some of the herdsmen escaped in the bush with bullet wounds.

“Troops crossed from Benue state into Nasarawa State and proceeded to Okungbo where they conducted a search including arrest of four suspects, recovery of seven locally manufactured riffles and revolvers which were made to fire 7.62mm special ammunition,” he explained.