Gentlemen of the Press, you are welcome to today’s press briefing.

As a result of the killings of innocent persons by unknown gun men at Zaki Biam in Benue State on 20th March 2017 and destruction of properties worth Millions of Naira, the Inspector General of Police, IGP Ibrahim K. Idris NPM, mni, swiftly deployed Police Special Tactical Force and an high powered investigation team to unravel the circumstances surrounding the gruesome killings and bring the perpetrators to justice.

2         The preliminary investigation and the operations embarked upon by the joint Police team revealed that one Terwase Akwaza aka Ghana, a gang leader of a vicious and notorious serial killer syndicate was responsible for the senseless killings of seventeen (17) innocent persons at Zaki Biam and for killing in cold blood of about fifty (50) people in other locations in Benue State. He is also responsible for so many kidnappings, armed robberies and cultists violence leading to loss of lives and properties in other parts of Benue State. Further investigation revealed that he is also responsible for killing of Mr. Deneen Igbana (late) the Special Adviser on Security to the Executive Governor of Benue State, Chief Samuel Ortom.

3    Consequently, the Inspector General of Police ordered the Special Police teams already on ground in Benue State to immediately embark on manhunt for Terwase Akwaza aka Ghana and his gang members and bring them to justice.

  1.  This joint operations comprising the personnel of the Nigeria Police Force, the Nigerian Military and the Department of State Service for the arrest of Terwase Akwaza aka Ghana and his vicious criminal gang is currently ongoing in Benue State.
  2. In the dogged pursuit of the operations the Nineteen (19) suspects listed below were arrested for conspiracy and other various criminal roles they played in the killings of innocent persons and other violent crimes carried out by Terwase Akwaza aka Ghana in Benue State. They are currently in Police custody. During interrogation they admitted to be cohorts of the wanted suspect “Terwase Akwaza aka Ghana” and have facilitated the commission of some of the offences linked to him at different times in Benue and other neighbouring States. They will be charged to court on completion of investigation accordingly.

 

  1. Tordue Kaaor             'M'
  2. Hiikenter Orbunde       'M'

iii.          Vincent Asemave        'M'

  1. David Terhembe                 ‘M’
  2. Dalhatu Abdullahi      ‘M’
  3. Iortember Orkuma      ‘M’

vii.        Manasseh Ikyar          ‘M’

viii.        Nengene Ikyar           ‘M’

  1. Joshua Ioraonya         ‘M’
  2. Joseph John              ‘M’
  3. akowakwahve            ‘M’

xii.         Terwase Sabastine       ‘M’

xiii.       Sunday Utza               ‘M’

xiv.       Umsughaondo Gbaga   ‘M’

  1. Swem Utiu                          ‘M’

xvi.       Terwase John             ‘M’

xvii.     Mbadon Mbati             ‘F’

xviii.    Tame Buumbu             ‘F’

xix.       Godwin Iorhundu                ‘M’

2  RECOVERY OF CACHE OF WEAPONS, WHICH INCLUDES LMG, SMG, HAND-GRENADES EXPLOSIVES AND ASSORTED ARMS AND AMMUNITION.

The below listed weapons and exhibits were discovered and recovered in a secret underground armory of  Terwase Akwaza aka Ghana by the joint team of Police personnel, the Military and the DSS during joint assault on Ghana’s hideout in the Forest in a location in Benue State. The principal suspect (Terwase Akwaza aka Ghana) and his gang abandoned their hideout and narrowly escaped further into the forest as a result of the superior firepower of the joint operation teams.

 

EXHIBITS RECOVERED:

  1. Three (3) AK 47 Rifles
  2. Three (3) FN Rifles

iii.      One (1) G3 Rifle

  1. One (1) LMG
  2. One (1) SMG
  3. One (1) Double-Barrel Gun

vii.    One (1) Mark 4 Rifle

viii.  Four (4) Single-Barrel Guns

  1. Four (4) Locally-Made Revolver Pistols
  2. Five (5) Locally-Made Revolver Pistols
  3. Thirty (36) Hand-Grenades

xii.    Two (2) Short Gun Local

Magazines:

  1. One hundred and forty one (141) Ak47 Magazines
  2. Twenty (20) FN Magazines

iii.      Eighteen (18) 6x G3 Magazines

  1. Three (3) Mark 4 Magazines
  2. One (1) Spear

Ammunition:

  1. Five hundred and thirty six ( 536) rounds of 7.62 mm NATO
  2. Four hundred and sixty- six (466) rounds of 7.62 mm

iii.      Four hundred and sixty four (464) rounds of  Special

  1. Twenty nine (29) rounds of 9mm Ball
  2. One hundred and nineteen (119) rounds of 5.56mm 118
  3. One (1) round of 12.7 mm

vii.    Five hundred and thirty three  (533) cartridges for Double-Barrel Guns

viii.  Twelve (12) Canisters Teargas

  1. Fifty (50) rounds of Air-rifle ammunition

OTHER ITEMS:

  1. Two (2) bottles of perfume
  2. One (1) Knife

iii.      One (1) Plier

  1. One (1) SMG Magazine
  2. Six (6) Beretta Magazine
  3. The Nigeria Police Force hereby declared Terwase Akwaza aka Ghana wanted as follows: