Three Fulani cattle rustlers were apprehended on Monday in Ohiya Community, Umuahia South Local Government Area of Abia State, by operatives of Operation Crush, a special security outfit set up to tackle crime across the State.
The suspects were caught in the act following a tip-off and swift intervention by the security team, averting what could have escalated into a violent clash between Fulani cattle owners and the host community.
The Special Adviser to Governor Alex Otti on Security Matters, Navy Commander Macdonald Uba (rtd.), commended the security operatives for their prompt action, which he said saved the community from a potentially volatile situation.
“We all know what would have happened if those cattle had been rustled and the crisis it would have triggered in Ohiya,” Uba said. “Abia State, under the leadership of Governor Alex Otti, will not yield an inch to criminals who seek to make life unbearable for our people.”
He explained that the rustlers had intended to steal the cattle from fellow Fulani herdsmen and falsely implicate the host community in the process, a move that would have strained intercommunal relations.
“If not for the intervention of Operation Crush, their plan was to rustle the cattle from their fellow Fulani herdsmen and make it seem as though the Ohiya community was responsible,” Uba added.
Investigations are ongoing, with security officials following up on leads to identify collaborators, including potential buyers of the stolen cattle.
“We have credible intelligence that will lead us to the Alhajis who were waiting to purchase the stolen cattle. They too will be brought to justice,” Uba said.
Also speaking, the traditional ruler of the Hausa community in Abia, HRH Eze Yaro Danladi, condemned the actions of the rustlers, warning that such criminal acts could have led to serious communal unrest.
“Imagine what the Fulani owners of the cattle would have done to the Ohiya community if the cattle had gone missing. We thank the government for acting quickly,” he said.
One of the suspects, who identified himself as a herder, claimed during interrogation that they had intended to steal only one cow, but the owners were alleging that five were missing.
The suspects are currently in custody and will be prosecuted after investigations are concluded.
* Media Report