Police operatives in Katsina State have arrested a suspected cattle rustler and recovered 50 livestock after stopping an attempt to steal animals in Jibia Local Government Area.
The Katsina State Police Command disclosed this in a statement issued by its spokesperson, DSP Abubakar Aliyu, on Sunday.
Aliyu said the incident happened around 7:30 p.m. on September 12, after the police received a distress call that suspected armed bandits had invaded Kwarara village in Jibia and stolen livestock.
He said the Divisional Police Officer in Jibia quickly mobilised the Police VCRU Patrol Team alongside members of the Katsina State Community Watch Corps to respond to the report.
According to him, the security operatives tracked the suspects to the Jibia Dam Site, where they engaged them in a gun battle.
Aliyu said the suspects were overpowered by the security team and abandoned the stolen animals before escaping with gunshot injuries.
He added that a search of the area led to the arrest of a 22-year-old suspected cattle rustler.
The police spokesperson said the recovered livestock included 15 cows and 35 sheep.
The suspect remains in police custody and is assisting the police with information that could help the investigation.