Notorious gunman wanted for mass killings in Nigeria

Nigerian police have declared one Terwase Akwaza, a notorious gunman wanted in connection with the killing of 67 persons in central north Benue State.

National police spokesperson Jimoh Moshod told reporters on Friday in Abuja, the country's capital city that Akwaza, popularly known as "Ghana," is wanted in connection with the March 20, 2017 killing of 17 persons by gunmen in Zaki Biam area of the state.

Moshod paraded 19 suspects, including two women, allegedly involved in the crime.

The police spokesperson alleged that the suspect was the leader of a "vicious and notorious serial killer syndicate" responsible for the killing of 50 others in other locations in Benue.

Akwaza is also responsible for many kidnappings, armed robberies and cult violence that led to loss of lives and property in other parts of Benue, Moshood added.

Moshod said investigation revealed that Awaza was also responsible for the killing of Desen Igbana, Special Adviser on Security to Governor Samuel Ortom of Benue.

Moshood said the suspects were currently in police custody and would soon be charged to court.

He also displayed a cache of arms and ammunition allegedly recovered from Akwaza's secret underground armory in a forest in Benue by a joint team of police, military and secret police personnel.

The recovered items include three AK-47 and FN rifles, one G3 rifle, 36 hand grenades, 141 AK-47 magazines, 536 rounds of 7.62mm NATO ammunition and 29 rounds of 9mm ball ammunition,

The killing took place on Monday, March 20, when about 30 men armed with sophisticated weapons, stormed the town around 3 p.m. local time.

They were said to have arrived in a pick-up van, Toyota Corolla and seven big motorcycles and fired continuously into the air to scare away people. Endit