Inspector-General of Police, Ibrahim Idris, on Friday, absolved Fulani herdsmen of blame over the Zaki Biam killings, which he said was perpetrated by a known criminal, Gana, who according to him is on the police wanted list and would soon be apprehended.
According to Idris, who spoke at the Presidential Villa, Abuja, “We deployed Mobile Police Unit on 16th of this month so that Gana, one of the wanted men who has been on the police wanted list, could be got by all means. Definitely, we are going to get him.
“I don’t think it’s Fulani herdsmen, it was an activity of a criminal who is using some of his gangs in the state to harass people and I told the governor when I met with him few days ago.”
On what specific directives he had been given by the president, the IGP stated: ”Obviously there should be a specific directive to ensure that all of us use all the facilities at our disposal to make sure that some of these incidents we are talking about are brought under control as soon as possible.
“I gave the president my assurance that we are going to do that. Like I said earlier, we have deployed a special squad to Benue and we are surely going to get that Gana within a short time.”
Hardly could a week pass without report of killings and maiming of people in the area. The axis consists of three local governments; Logo, Katsina Ala and Ukum. It is the most volatile area in the state.
‘Gana’, Benue terrorist leader’
One Terwase Agwasa, popularly known as ‘Gana’, the most wanted terrorist in the state, holds sway in the axis. He is reputed for having a charm which his men said makes him appear and disappear at will.
Successive administrations in the past years including the present administration had courted Gana’s relationship until recently when he was fingered in the dastardly killing of security aide to the governor, Mr Demen Igbana about a year ago.
Gana was the brain behind the amnesty programme initiated by Ortom’s administration where several arms and ammunition were recovered from a militants in the state.
But since the state government, mid last year placed a ransom of N5million on him and was declared wanted by police, the Sankera axis has not known peace.
Twice, a joint task force which included the military and police raided Gbitse, the ‘den of the terrorist leader’ but failed to apprehend him.
According to the police, Gana was believed to be the mastermind of all the crises; kidnapping, robbery, cattle rustling, killings and other vices in Sankera axis. The situation had degenerated to the level that many people not only deserted the axis but concluded that while Governor Ortom controls 20 local governments, Gana is in control of three council areas of the state.
Ortom, possibly acting on security report, had fingered Gana as mastermind of the Monday attack in ZakiBiam where about 50 persons were reported killed and several buildings set ablaze.