‘Cattle rustlers’ arrested with 162 cows in Kaduna

Eleven suspected cattle rustlers were arrested with 162 cows and 30 sheep by Operation Yaki Surveillance patrol team in a joint operation with the Lere divisional police patrol in the state.

The arrest of eight of the rustlers were said to have been as a result of a distress call received at control room of the Operation Yaki headquarters.

The caller informed the team that a group of suspected rustlers and animals were seen migrating from Doka Lere heading towards Yadin Garu in Lere local government area of Kaduna state.

Samuel Aruwan, spokesperson of the Kaduna state governor, who disclosed this in a statement, added that the suspects and the recovered animals were handed over to the divisional police headquarters.

He said the animals were delivered to the police for onward delivery to owners while preliminary investigation is in progress to establish the criminal profile of the suspects for possible prosecution.

The other three suspected rustlers were arrested with 33 of the 162 cows in Wartsi Piti village in Lere local government of the state.

The teams, who were said to have acted on a tip off, arrested the suspects while in transit.

Those arrested include Michael Musa, Adamu Haruna and Musa Tambaya Musa, who upon interrogation disclosed Auta Musa, Dogo Babangida and Haruna Abubakar as their accomplices.

“Also, 194 were recovered from Auchan in Kubau local government area of the state in a joint operation by Operation Yaki Surveillance patrol team and the Divisional Police Patrol Team Aucha, following a tip off on Saturday 28th November, 2015 at about 2:00am,” Aruwan said.

“The recovered animals have been handed over to the Zaria Area Command for onward distribution to their bona fide owners after satisfying the procedures of the distribution committee.”