By Abdullahi Inuwa
The Katsina State Police Command has foiled an attempted cattle-rustling operation in Jibia Local Government Area, recovering 50 stolen animals and arresting a 22-year-old suspected member of a cattle-rustling syndicate.
The operation followed a distress call received by the police at about 7:30 p.m. on September 12, 2026, alerting authorities to an attack on Kwarara Village, where suspected armed bandits reportedly invaded the community and rustled livestock.
Acting swiftly on the information, the Divisional Police Officer (DPO) in Jibia mobilised personnel from the Vigilance Community Response Unit (VCRU), alongside members of the Katsina State Community Watch Corps (KSCWC), to pursue the attackers and recover the stolen animals.
According to the police, the joint team tracked the fleeing suspects and intercepted them around the Jibia Dam Site.
A gun duel reportedly broke out between the security personnel and the armed attackers. The police said the superior firepower of the responding team forced the suspects to abandon the rustled livestock and flee into the surrounding area, with some of them believed to have sustained gunshot injuries.
During a subsequent search of the area, the security team arrested one of the suspected rustlers identified as Ibrahim, alias “Daura,” aged 22.
The operation also led to the recovery of 50 rustled animals, comprising 15 cows and 35 sheep.
The arrested suspect is currently in police custody and is assisting investigators with information expected to help identify and apprehend other members of the syndicate who escaped during the encounter.
The Katsina State Commissioner of Police, CP Ali Umar Fage, psc, mnips, commended the DPO Jibia, the VCRU patrol team and members of the KSCWC for what he described as their prompt response and gallantry during the operation.
The Commissioner reaffirmed the Command’s determination to intensify efforts against cattle rustling, banditry and other criminal activities across Katsina State.
CP Fage also appealed to residents to remain vigilant and provide the police with timely and credible information that could assist security agencies in preventing attacks and apprehending criminal elements.
The Command assured residents that security personnel would continue to sustain coordinated operations aimed at protecting lives and property and restoring peace across communities in the state.
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