Kano police arrest 72 rustlers, recover 818 cattle

The police have arrested 72 suspected cattle rustlers in the notorious Falgore forest in Tudun Wada Local Government Area of Kano State.

The Commissioner of Police in the state, Mr. Muhammad Katsina, disclosed this while parading the suspects and the animals before newsmen at Kwanar Dawaki in the Dawakin Kudu Local Government Area of the state on Sunday.

The News Agency of Nigeria reports that the suspects were paraded in the presence of the Emir of Kano, Alhaji Muhammadu Sanusi II, and Governor Abdullahi Ganduje.

Katsina said the police had also recovered 818 cattle in addition to a large cache of arms, fake military and police uniforms as well as charms used by the suspects.

According to him, the police also killed three suspected rustlers, including one Umaru Dogo Ndaiye, a Senegalese, who led a gang of bandits that maimed and raped women in Gidan Kare village in Sumaila Local Government Area of the state.

“Ndaiye was gunned down when he engaged our men who were on special duty at Falgore forest by Gazobi village in a gunfight.

“He later died while receiving treatment at the hospital. A pistol and 224 cattle were recovered from him while four other members of his gang were arrested,’’ he said.

The police commissioner said that two other bandits also lost their lives during the exchange of gunfire with the police while only one policeman sustained injury and had since been treated and discharged.

In his remarks, Ganduje said the state government had set up a committee to return the cattle to their rightful owners.

He expressed concern over the rising cases of cattle rustling in the state in recent times.

Ganduje called on the people of the state, particularly those of Tudun Wada, Doguwa and Sumaila local government areas that share borders with the Falgore forest, to cooperate with security agents with a view to checking the menace.

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Also in his remarks, the Emir urged courts in the state to ensure that those found guilty were appropriately prosecuted.

Meanwhile, the Chairman of Kogi State chapter of the Miyetti Allah Cattle Breeders Association, Mallam Abubakar Jalido, has urged Fulani herdsmen living in the state not to engage in armed robbery, kidnapping and other criminal activities.

Jalido made the call on Sunday in Lokoja during a meeting with leaders of Fulani groups from communities across the state.

He said that armed robbery, kidnapping and other violent crimes were not part of the Fulani culture, and called on all Fulani youths to have a change of heart.

He said that any Fulani man that failed to heed the warning must be ready to face the consequences of his action.

“They are in our midst and we have told them that the law will take its natural course if they fail to stop all these crimes,” he said.

The chairman appealed to Nigerians to refrain from making sweeping comments about the Fulani because of a misconduct of the few, saying that their tribe abhorred violence and that the Fulani were peace-loving people.

He also pleaded with security agents in the state to come to the aid of the herdsmen by saving them from incessant attacks and from losing their cows.