Security operatives from Operation Crush, a specialized inter-agency task force in Abia State, have arrested three suspected cattle rustlers in the Ohiya area of Umuahia South Local Government Area.
The suspects Saidu Ali, Yakubu Mohammed, and Adamu Isa were intercepted while allegedly attempting to rustle six out of thirty-eight cows. Thanks to the swift intervention of the security team, the operation was foiled.
Parading the suspects at the Government House in Umuahia, the Special Adviser to Governor Alex Otti on Security, retired Navy Commander Macdonald Uba, stated that the arrests were made following a credible tip-off. He revealed that the suspects, believed to be of Hausa-Fulani descent, had pre-arranged buyers for the stolen cattle, which were to be taken from their fellow Fulani herders.
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Commander Uba emphasized the potential danger this act could have caused the Ohiya community, warning that such incidents could spark violent reprisals. He said, “This could have led to serious consequences for the community if Operation Crush had not acted swiftly.”
He credited the Farmers-Herders Committee for promptly sharing the intelligence that led to the arrests, and confirmed that the suspects had already been profiled by the Department of State Services (DSS).
“We all know the possible fallout of such rustling. Retaliatory attacks could have endangered lives and property in Ohiya. Preliminary investigations have been conducted by the DSS, and the suspects will be handed over to the police for further investigation,” he added.
Commander Uba reiterated the state government’s zero tolerance for crime under Governor Otti’s administration. “Abia State, under the leadership of His Excellency Dr. Alex Chioma Otti, will not cede any ground to criminals especially those who threaten the peace and safety of our citizens,” he affirmed.
In a related development, the leader of the Hausa-Fulani community in Abia State, Alhaji Yaro Danladi, condemned the actions of the suspects. He expressed the community’s commitment to peace and warned that such behavior would not be tolerated.
Meanwhile, NATIONAL CONCORD correspondent reports that, one of the suspects admitted being invited for a business transaction, while the other two claimed to be innocent farmers.
