Benue State police command has arrested a 47-year-old man Terhemba Sevav who allegedly specialises in fixing and manufacturing rifles and other sophisticated weapons for a criminal gang led by one of the late Terwase Agwaza aka “Gana” boys, Kumaor Fachir.
He was nabbed on the Adikpo-Ugbema Road in Kwande local government area of the state.
During an interview, Sevav admitted being the manufacturer of all of the rifles and other weapons for the gang members.
He said his factory is located in Adikpo, the headquarters of Kwande council.
The state police commissioner Nnamdi Onyeka made the disclosure when he paraded some suspected bandits at the command headquarters in Makurdi said on August 14, 2023. He said fficers from “Operation ZENDA JTF Tactical Team” arrested a “dreaded and vicious armed bandit kingpin named Kumaor Fachir popularly known as “Second- in-Command” to the late Gana.”
Onyeka said further investigation led to the arrest of four other gang members
Fachir, the “Gana” boy admitted working for the late Gana for over two years when he was alive, adding that he is now operating as a leader of his gang.
“I was arrested in Ushongo local government area of the state after a robbery attack I organised and collected the sum of N120,000 from the victims,” he said.
The police commissioner said investigation led to the arrest of four other gang members including Iorwuese Ashiekaa, Aondongu Aligbe, Terkula Wuhe aka “Oryughurt.”
Onyeka disclosed that items recovered from the criminal gang includes two (2) AK-47 rifles, two fabricated rifles, two Beretta pistols, in the process of fabrication, One double barrel gun loaded with 35live cartridges, 130 rounds of 7.62X 39mm live ammunition.
He said other suspected members of the gang escaped from the scene and called on the people of the state to cooperate with the police by giving useful and timely information that will assist the command in tackling crime,
The CP said, “A crime-free society creates room for sustainable development that can propel a state to greater heights, particularly our dear state which is endowed with so many resources”
“My vision is policing with the fear of God and I am going to replicate what I did in Plateau State in Benue and in doing this I held a meeting with all the 38 Divisional Police Officers (DPOs) and 5 Area commanders on effective policing and I want to use this opportunity to warn criminals and intending criminals that, I will not tolerate any act of criminality in the state”
“I have already deployed adequate security at the crisis-prone areas to ensure that all citizens of the State sleep with their eyes closed,” he said.
