Police recover 500 cows, guns from rustlers, kidnappers in Nasarawa

The Nasarawa State Police Command on Monday paraded over 50 suspects arrested for var­ious offences ranging from cattle rustling, armed rob­bery, kidnapping and arson committed across the state.

Addressing the press at the Police officers mess in Lafia, the state capital, the Commissioner of Police, Abubakar Sadiq Bello, said over 500 cows were recov­ered from cattle rustlers in a joint operation by officers and men of the command, local vigilante and Miyetti Allah association at Udege Mbeki, Mararaba Udege, Odu and Agwada areas of the state.

CP Bello said: “40 suspects were arrested, while 500 rus­tled cows, one AK 49 with 24 rounds of live ammunition, a pair of military camouflage uniform and 13 motorcycles were recovered.”

He, however, said an un­verified number of the cows had died of malnutrition and dehydration while in custody of the rustlers, noting also that from today officers of the command in collabora­tion with Miyetti Allah Cattle Breeders Association would commence the identification and release of the cows to their bona fide owners.

The Police boss said 12 other suspects were arrested for attacking and destroying equipment at the Chinese mining company site where they caused colossal damage to company property to the tune of N400 million some of whom have confessed to the crime.

He lamented that the de­velopment was unfortunate and coming at a time the state government was mak­ing dogged effort at wooing investors to invest in the state.- The Authority