How Notorious Criminal, Orjondu Was Killed by Special Forces in Taraba State

For Benue’s second most wanted criminal kingpin, Terungwa Igbagwa (alias Orjondu) and his girlfriend, the world was over even before the first rooster crow on Friday.

They were quietly picked up by a team of Nigerian soldiers, thus ending the reign of terror and fear that Orjondu created in Benue and parts of Taraba States.

Details have now emerged of how the notorious militia leader was killed near Zaki Biam by a special commando operation of the combined team of Operation Whirl Strike tracking team and Special Forces of Sector 2 of the Nigerian Army last week.

The details were exclusively obtained by The Voice, which commenced investigation into the dramatic end of Orjondu immediately after his death.

Investigations by The Voice Correspondent in Zaki Biam revealed that the notorious warlord whom the security services believed “was responsible for kidnapping, armed robbery, assassination, gun running and other criminal activities around Katsina-Ala, Ukum and Logo Local Government Areas for many years was caught unaware in a thatched house where he had gone to spend a night with his girlfriend.

Until he met his waterloo, Mr Igbagwa was the second most wanted person in Benue State, next only to Gana, the most wanted person in the state.

The Voice investigations revealed that members of the team that took out Mr Terungwa came in four Toyota Hilux vans and surrounded the compound where the wanted fellow was spending the night with his girlfriend.

According to one of our sources, his girlfriend came out of the hut around 4am to ease herself only to discover that some men in uniform had surrounded the compound.

She was seized by members of the team who took her back to the hut where Orjondu was holed up; unaware of what was going on.

When Orjondu realized the presence of intruders, he was helpless as members of the team were already upon him, forcing him to plead with them to spare his life.

“He pleaded with members of the team to spare him but he was shot and restrained with handcuffs and further sought to positively confirm his identity from one of the little children found in one of the huts in the compound. The boy insisted that the man in their custody was not Orjondu (the alias that the security forces knew him with) but Terungwa the source told The Voice.

It was gathered that although he was shot, Mr Terungwa was still alive but bleeding profusely.

He was tied like a goat that was about to be slaughtered and thrown into one of the Force’s vans after receiving thorough beating our source volunteered.

Mr Terungwa and his girlfriend were taken to Makurdi, the Benue state capital through Alabaa-Tor Donga- Katsina road.

The Voice gathered that the warlord’s girlfriend was then taken from Makurdi to Wanunne, the capital of Tarka local government Area on the Makurdi-Gboko road by some members of the Squad where she was given some money to go back to her village.

She was the person that broke the news in the village that the notorious warlord had died from his bleeding The Voice correspondent was informed by one of the villagers.

It was confirmed to The Voice that some arms and ammunition were recovered during the operation, while two thatch houses (the one that Orjondu was inside and another one close by) were reportedly torched by the retreating Special Forces while a nearbykKiosk was also set ablaze when soldiers visited the area last Friday to assess the area.

The Voice gathered that apart from the operation that led to the elimination of Gana’s former second in command, Special Forces had carried out a similar operation at Gbor, Tongov, a nearby market to Zaki Biam, and four suspected hoodlums were reportedly killed while nine were arrested.

The Voice learnt that after the Gbor Market operation, Mr. Orjondu informed his boys to be on alert as he suspected that he would be the next target by security men.

It was gathered that before his elimination by the Army’s Special Forces, he was attacked last month by rival Tongov militia but he reportedly escaped. His wife was said to have been injured and the Militia who were believed to be acting at the behest of Gana reportedly carted away a box containing his charms that was reportedly handed over to the Benue most wanted Terwase Agwaza, alias Ghana, for safe keeping.

The Voice gathered that the information that led to the death of Orjondu may have been provided by some of his boys that were arrested in recent raids by the army.

The Defence Headquarters had last week on Friday disclosed that the second most wanted Militia leader in Benue State, Terungwa Igbagwa, aka Orjondu, was eliminated by Special Forces

Major General John Enenche, Coordinator, Defence Media Operations had said in a statement that Orjondu is the second most wanted criminal kingpin next to Gana in Benue State.

“He was responsible for kidnapping, armed robbery, assassination, gun running and other criminal activities around Katsina-Ala, Ukum and Logo LGA’s for many years. “Items recovered from him included one AK 47 rifle, one locally made rifle, one AK 47 magazine with 30 rounds of 7.62mm special and some charms.

“The Military High Command congratulates Operation Whirl Strike for its exploits in recent times” he had said.

Source: https://thevoicenewspaperng.com