An Inspector of the Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS) and five others have been arrested for alleged cattle rustling in Katsina State.
The suspects were intercepted with three trailer trucks loaded with 164 suspected rustled cows at Jibia Local Government Area of the state by a combined team of customs and police officers in Katsina, the state capital.
Gambo Isah, Police Public Relations Officer who confirmed this to newsmen, said an investigation will be carried out to know the sources of the cows and ensure anyone found culpable is taken to court for prosecution
“It may interest you to know that the command has also succeeded in arresting one inspector Abubakar Shafi’u with service number 36702 who is from the procurement department of the immigration headquarters, Abuja. He was arrested while escorting these vehicles. An investigation is ongoing into this matter,” said Isah.
“Zurmi precisely remains one of the hideouts of criminals, we are not relenting we are going to investigate the sources of these cows and ensure that if anyone is caught wanting is taken to court for prosecution.”
The immigration officer, Inspector Abubakar Shafi’u also told newsmen he was on casual leave and the remaining suspects are his relatives.
“I was in Abuja when they called me that they have become victims of Banditry in Zurmi Local Government Area of Zamfara State. When they called me, they asked me on the next plan of action, I told them that I will be coming to visit them, when I arrived I advised them to pack all their animals to take them to a safer place which we now unanimously agreed to take them to either Damaturu in Yobe state or Adamawa,” said Shafi’u.
“Before embarking on this journey, we visited the DPO where he signed and gave us a paper so also the Emirate Council including the state chapter of the Miyetti Allah Cattle Breeders Association of Nigeria.
“This is the second batch we are taking to Damaturu, already seven trailers are in Zurmi waiting for me to facilitate their journey too.”
