Gombe State Police Command, yesterday, paraded 18 cattle rustlers, including three women with an eight-month old baby and three minors.
According to the Commissioner of Police, Babatunde Babaita, the animals consist of 483 cows, 186 sheep and three donkeys rustled in Plateau, Bauchi and Taraba states.
Babaita said the rustlers were heading towards Yobe State when they were intercepted at Billiri Local Council following credible intelligence on their activities in neighbouring states.
He commended the vigilante men, who assisted greatly in the arrest.
Two AK-47 and one AK-49 rifles, 320 rounds of live ammunition, 14 empty magazines, three cutlasses and N994,000 cash were recovered from the suspects.
The beasts have been secured at Billiri Local Council stadium.
He said: “Based on credible intelligence that suspected cattle rustlers have rustled about 500 cows and 186 sheep from Plateau, Bauchi and Taraba states in large number and heading towards Gombe through Bauchi, police tactical teams, in collaboration with vigilante groups and local hunters, mobilised and trailed the rustlers to where they were intercepted around Kalmai junction in Billiri.
“The fleeing rustlers abandoned 483 cows, 186 sheep and ram, three donkeys, four motorcycles, nine phones and N994,000 were found in their possession.”
While lauding the efforts of residents that volunteered information that led to the successful operation, Babaita urged more collaboration, assuring that the state would not be habitable for criminals.
“The case has been transferred to the State Criminal Investigation Department (SCID) for discreet investigation and prosecution. I want to further reassure the public that the command under my watch will relentlessly continue to pursue the criminals from all nooks and crannies of the state and will not give them room to hibernate,” the CP added.
