The Nigerian Army said it had arrested a native doctor, Tordue Gber (Tiv Swem), who allegedly acted as spiritual counselor to the wanted armed criminal militia, Akwazar Terwase (alias Gana), in Benue.
A statement by Sani Usman, the Director of Army Public Relations, on Tuesday, said the suspect was picked up in Tor-Dunga town in Katsina-Ala Local Government Area of the state during a raid on his shrine.
Mr Usman, a brigadier-general, said troops of 707 Special Forces Brigade arrested Mr Gber on Monday during the operation.
It will be recalled that Terwase was declared wanted by the security agencies and has been at large since 2016.
“Preliminary investigation shows that Tordue Gber (Tiv Swem) acts as spiritual counselor that provides Gana with “diabolical” powers and the shrine serves as hideout for wanted armed militia, meeting and planning point for operations and logistics base for the criminal armed militias that operate in Benue, Nasarawa and Taraba States.
“The native doctor was arrested along with one of his accomplice, Atoo Kuwe Francis, while planning to carry out an attack and abduct one Mr. Zaya at Tse Bente village in the same local government area,” he said.
The army spokesman, however, said Mr Tordue was shot dead “during the struggle to disarm him.”
Mr Usman said the troops recovered a locally fabricated pistol, two baretta Pistols, 11 rounds of 9mm ammunition, three motorcycles and assorted charms from the shrine
Other items recovered, he said, were clothing for concealing weapons, two mobile telephones and three power generators, amongst other items at the hideout.
NAN
