Navy recovers 312 cattle, arrests 2 in Kaduna

A cattle rustler

Personnel of the Nigerian Navy School of Armament and Technology Kachia has recovered over 312 stolen cows from cattle rustlers and arrested two suspects in parts of Kaduna State.

Navy Cmdr. Timothy Dakwat, the Commandant of the school, said in Kachia while handing over the animals to officials of “Operation Yaki”, the state security outfit, that the recovery was made on Oct. 29.

“Remember that Chief of Defence Staff, Gen. Abayomi Olanisakin said we are done with the menace of Boko Haram.

“Now one of the cardinal threat to internal security is insurgency and cattle rustling.”

The commandant said the success of the operation was due to the cooperation of the state government, cattle breeders association and the general public.

“We are being empowered and encouraged to carry out our statutory responsibility to assist the police in establishing civil authority.

“All this success is a collective effort of the security operatives.”

Dakwat appealed to the public to volunteer more useful information to eliminate the menace.

He recalled that 95 cattle were earlier recovered by the navy personnel on Oct. 21 and Oct 22, during which four suspects were arrested and handed over to Operation Yaki.

Retired Col. Yakubu Soja, State Coordinator, Operation Yaki, commended the navy for the effort.

According to him, security agents in the state have so far recovered 19, 000 cows since the government began efforts to rid the state of cattle rustlers over a year ago.

He said the recovered animals were handed over to their owners after thorough scrutiny.

Soja said the outfit had set up collation centres for the recovered animals in Birnin Gwari, Zaria, Kachia and Jere.

He advised those who lost their livestock to come forward, identify and retrieve their animals.

Also speaking, Ardo Ahmadu Sulaiman, North West Chairman of Cattle Breeders Association of Nigeria, commended the government and the security agencies for their commitment to rid the state of cattle rustlers.

Sulaiman said the association would continue to render maximum to government to eliminate the threat posed by the rustlers.