Police operatives have recovered 39 stolen cows after engaging suspected cattle rustlers in a gun battle in Illa Village, Igabi Local Government Area of Kaduna State.
The suspects reportedly abandoned the animals and fled into the bush with gunshot injuries after a joint team of police officers, vigilantes and residents pursued them.
The Police Public Relations Officer, DSP Mansir Hassan, disclosed this in a statement issued on Sunday in Kaduna.
Hassan said the incident occurred in the early hours of November 7 after armed men attacked the village at about 4:00 a.m., rustling cattle belonging to three Fulani herders.
He said the attackers also shot a 25-year-old man, Abubakar, in both legs during the raid.
According to the police spokesman, the Divisional Police Officer in Rigachikun received a distress call from a resident, Alhaji Yahaya Abubakar, at about 5:00 a.m.
“On receipt of the report, a combined team of police operatives led by the Officer-in-Charge, Amana Outpost, local vigilantes and villagers swiftly mobilised, pursued the suspects into the bush and engaged them in a gun duel,” Hassan said.
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He added that the suspects abandoned the 39 cows before escaping into the bush.
The injured victim was taken to Shika Teaching Hospital, where he was responding to treatment, while the recovered animals had been handed over to their owners.
The Commissioner of Police, Muhammad Rabiu, commended the operatives for their response and praised the community for supporting the security agencies.
He assured residents that the command would sustain efforts to tackle cattle rustling and other criminal activities across the state.
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