Four suspected bandits have been killed and 35 stolen cows recovered after a joint security operation foiled a cattle-rustling attack in Lade, Patigi Local Government Area of Kwara State.
The operation was launched following intelligence that armed men had attacked a cattle camp on September 11 and reportedly taken away about 40 cows.
Acting on the information, personnel from the Kwara State Police Command, Nigerian Army, Forest Guards and local vigilantes mounted a coordinated pursuit of the suspected rustlers into the surrounding forest.
The suspects reportedly engaged the security operatives in a gun battle, during which four of them were neutralised. Other members of the group reportedly fled the scene with gunshot wounds.
At the conclusion of the operation, 35 of the stolen cows were recovered, together with a locally fabricated AK-47 rifle. Security personnel have continued efforts to locate the fleeing suspects, who are believed to have sustained injuries, and retrieve the remaining livestock.
The operation highlights the importance of intelligence-driven policing and stronger cooperation between conventional security agencies, forest guards and community-based security groups in tackling rural crime.
The Commissioner of Police in Kwara State, Ojo Adekimi, commended the security agencies and local vigilantes for their courage, coordination and swift response, urging them to sustain the momentum in the fight against cattle rustling, banditry and other forms of criminality.
