Police arrest 195 rustlers, rescue 21 kidnapped villagers.

The Niger State Police Command says it has made appreciable success in the renewed onslaught against cattle rustlers, kidnappers and other organized crimes in the state.

The State Commissioner of Police Zubairu Muazu told newsmen yesterday in Minna that the joint effort by the command and other security agencies led to arrest of 195 suspected cattle rustlers and recovery of 612 cows in various locations of the state.

He said the effort also led to the rescue of 21 kidnapped persons during raids on criminals’ hideouts across the state.

The state had witnessed resurgence of cattle rustling activities, prompting a massive deployment of security personnel to areas designated as danger spots. “The police in collaboration with sister security agencies took the battle to the dens of armed bandits in Allawa, Kukoki, Pandogari, Isau, Kaffinkoro, Sarkin- pawa, Shiroro, Mangoro, Lapai and Gurara. The aerial surveillance and ground raids culminated into the harvest of arrests and recovery of assorted weapons,” the police boss said.

He said among those arrested were 24 most wanted kidnappers and cattle rustlers,” adding that 612 cattle recovered from the suspects had been handed over to their owners.