Police Foil Kaduna Rustlers, Recover 39 Cows

​KADUNA — Operatives of the Kaduna State Police Command, acting in a joint operation with local vigilantes and community members, successfully repelled an early-morning attack by suspected cattle rustlers in Illa Village, Igabi Local Government Area, recovering 39 stolen cows.

​According to police reports, the incident unfolded in the early hours of November 7, when a heavily armed gang invaded the community around 4:00 a.m. The attackers targeted cattle belonging to three local Fulani herders. During the raid, a 25-year-old resident named Abubakar sustained gunshot wounds to both legs.

​Swift Response and Gun Duel

​The Divisional Police Officer (DPO) in charge of the Rigachikun Division received a distress call from a community leader, Alhaji Yahaya Abubakar, shortly after 5:00 a.m.

​Prompted by the alert, a combined tactical team comprising police operatives from the Amana Outpost, local vigilantes, and brave villagers mobilized quickly. They tracked the fleeing suspects into nearby bushes, engaging them in a fierce gun duel.

​Outnumbered and overpowered by the joint security and community resistance, the rustlers abandoned all 39 stolen cows and escaped deeper into the forest, with several sustaining varying degrees of gunshot injuries during the exchange.

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​Medical Care and Official Commendation

​The injured victim, Abubakar, was swiftly rushed to the Shika Teaching Hospital, where medical personnel confirmed he is currently responding to treatment. Meanwhile, the recovered herd has been successfully handed over to the rightful owners.

​Reacting to the successful operation, the Kaduna State Commissioner of Police, CP Muhammad Rabiu, lauded the gallantry displayed by the operatives and praised the robust partnership between security forces and the local community. He reiterated the command’s unwavering commitment to stamping out cattle rustling and other forms of rural criminality across the state.