Police in Nasarawa State yesterday, paraded over 50 suspects for various offences ranging from cattle rustling, armed robbery, kidnapping and arson from across the state.
Addressing the press at the Police Officers Mess in Lafia, 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, whereas 500 rustled cows, one AK 49 military rifle 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 however 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 a 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.
He also used the occasion to confer special recognition on six officers who raided Kumar community in Azara, Awe local government area, where they arrested a notorious armed robber by the name, Hassan Adamu, from whom they recovered three AK 49 assault rifles, one AK 47 rifle, and 150 live rounds of ammunition.