In a swift security operation on Monday, three Fulani cattle rustlers were arrested while trying to steal cows in Ohiya community, located in Umuahia South LGA of Abia State.
The suspects were caught by officers from the Operation Crush task force, who responded quickly after receiving a tip-off.
Commander Macdonald Uba (retired), the Governor’s Special Adviser on Security Matters, confirmed the arrest during a press briefing in Umuahia. He noted that their timely action prevented what could have been a serious crisis between the Fulani herdsmen and the local Ohiya community.
“We all know what would have happened if the cows had been stolen,” Uba said. “It would have created the wrong impression that the Ohiya people were responsible, sparking unnecessary conflict.”
He assured the public that under Governor Alex Choma’s leadership, Abia State will not be a safe haven for criminals.
The suspects had reportedly planned to steal the cattle from fellow Fulani herders, not the local residents. This, Uba explained, could have wrongly implicated the host community.
Traditional ruler of the Hausa community in Abia, HRH Eze Yaro Danladi, condemned the attempted theft. He said it could have led to serious misunderstanding and violence.
“Just imagine what would’ve happened if the rightful cattle owners had assumed the community took them,” he said.
One of the arrested herders confessed that they only intended to take one cow, but others are claiming that five cows went missing.
Investigations are ongoing, and authorities are tracking other suspects, including those believed to have planned to buy the stolen animals.
#AbiaSecurity #CattleRustling #FulaniHerders
