Operatives of Operation Crush, a combined security team, have arrested three cattle rustlers at Ohiya, Umuahia South LGA of Abia State.
The arrested rustlers, identified as Saidu Ali, Yakubu Mohammed, and Adamu Isa, were alleged to have tried to steal six cows out of 38 belonging to a herder before the security team intervened.
Parading the suspects in Umuahia on Monday, the Special Adviser to Governor Alex Otti on Security, Navy Commander Macdonald Uba (retd), said the arrests were made following a tip-off.
Uba recalled that security breaches have been reported in some parts of the state recently, especially the Umunnochi axis.
Uba, who added that the state government is not unmindful of the incidents of herder-farmers clashes in Benue State, said that the arrested rustlers had already arranged to sell the cattle to fellow herdsmen.
According to him, the import of their action would have meant disaster for the citizens of that Ohiya community if not for the swift action of Operation Crush.
Uba said, “As you well know, we have a very strong farmers-herders committee who got the tip-off and forwarded the intelligence to Operation Crush.
“They swiftly went and made this arrest and they have since been profiled by the Directorate of State Security Services.”
He disclosed that “we all know what would have happened if those cattle were rustled and the effect it would have had on the Ohinya community.
“We have carried out preliminary investigations, which were conducted by the DSS. And we’ll be handing them over to the police for further investigation.”
Uba reiterated that Abia State, under the leadership of Governor Otti, would yield no ground to criminals, especially those that will make life unbearable for the citizens.
Also speaking, the leader of the Hausa community in Abia State, Alhaji Yaro Danladi, condemned the attitude of the suspects, making it clear that the Hausa community in the state wants peace and will not tolerate such incidents.
