By Peter Duru

MAKURDI—A Police officer (names withheld), has been killed at Abaji in Katsina/Ala Local Government Area of Benue State by gang members of the wanted militant leader, Terwase Agwaza, also known as Gana, in an operation that led to the arrest of Bishop, Gana’s Second-in-Command.

Confirming the development to Vanguard in Makurdi, the state’s Police Commissioner, Mr. Bashir Makama, said following the manhunt for the wanted militant leader, Police had moved into Abaji to follow up on information of a planned assassination and kidnap of selected persons in the area by the gang when they were attacked after they arrested Bishop.

Makama said: “You know that we are on a massive manhunt for the wanted Gana. In the course of the operation, last Saturday we arrested his very close ally known as Bishop at Abaji, in Katsina/Ala Local Government Area.

“He is renowned for coordinating cases of kidnap and murder by the gang. It was flowing from that arrest that the gang mobilised and attacked our men in that area. In that attack, one of our men was killed.

“But because we do not shoot in public places, we had to be careful to avoid collateral damage and the killing of innocent persons in such a situation. But our operation still continues and we will not be deterred by this development.”

The commissioner, who allayed fears of the people of the area that innocent people could be arrested by security agencies in the course of the operation, said: “No innocent person should run from the community for fear of being arrested.

“If people in that area are running and moving out in droves as being claimed, it is simply because of the fear of the unknown and maybe the fear of the consequence of hiding wanted criminals tormenting the area and indeed the entire state.

“We will certainly not go after any innocent person; we know those we are after and not innocent persons.

“Meanwhile, in the course of our investigation we discovered that the gang had planned to kill the son of a Katsina/Ala-based businessman, who was last week rescued by the Police and also plotted to re-kidnap the rescued businessman.

“We urge the people to desist from shielding members of the gang because doing so would certainly not be in the best interest of anyone.”