Police parade Fulani herdsmen for cattle rustling, murder
Police on Wednesday paraded two Fulani herdsmen for rustling 15 cattle, 14 sheep and killed a 7 years old boy who was in charge of the cattle.
The Police Commissioner, Plateau State Command, CP Undie Adie, stated this at a news briefing with Journalists in Jos, the Plateau State capital.
He said, “on the 26th January 2018, one Alhaji Ibrahim Usman of Sabon Layi Jos, reported at Laranto Police Division that, on the 24th January 2018, at about 165hrs, he was called on phone by one Bala Yahaya Mohammed to meet him at Zaria road cemetery which he did: and that the said Bala Yahaya Mohammed handed over to him 15 cows and 14 sheep for safe keeping in pretence that he was going to look for his child.
“He waited for Bala to come back for his cows, but to no avail: therefore, on the 26the of January 2018, he reported the incident at Laranto Police Station and investigation later revealed that the cows and sheep belong to one Ibrahim Haruna of Agigi in Bassa LGA which were stolen with the connivance of some herdsmen; which led to the killing of one Mohammed Ibrahim, aged seven (7) years who was together with them and was in charge of the 15 cows and 14 sheep”.
The CP said the suspects have been apprehended and are assisting the Police in investigation, saying that one of the suspects, Bala Yahaya Mohammed, made a statement confessing how he conspired with three others to kill Mohammed Ibrahim and made away with the 15 cows and 14 sheep entrusted to him by his uncle.
Mr Undie said all suspects connected to the crime must be apprehended and face the full wrath of the law, adding that cattle owners have been advised to avoid using underaged children in grazing as well as grazing at night, he said.
Recall that the Special Task Force in Plateau, had earlier said that over 80 percent of rustled cattle on the Plateau are carried out by Fulani herdsmen, rustling cattle belonging to their own kinsmen.
In that report titled “Army nab herdsmen syndicates for cattle rustling”, reads that the STF in Jos paraded three Fulani herdsmen for cattle rustling, adding that
the syndicate were arrested for rustling cattle belonging to their fellow Fulani herdsmen, and that arrest was made at Bisichi, in Heipang community of Barkin-Ladi Local Government Area.
The story also reads that the STF Commander, Major General Anthony Atolagbe, in a statement signed by his Chief of Staff, Brigadier General Mohammed A. Bello, said, “on 19th January 2018 at about 3:30pm following a tip off by a member of Miyetti Allah Cattle Breeders Association, STF troops arrested four persons involved in rustling cattle at Bisichi in Heipan area of Barkin-Ladi LGA.
The statement explained that “the suspects includes Mr. Adamu Muhammed,18 years, Tanimu Usman, 24 years, Abdullranhan Muhammed, 15 years and 32-year-old Dawa Dalyop arrested for buying the rustled cattle”.
By Kingsley Chukwuka, Jos
