Police foil cross-border cow rustling, arrest Nigerien suspect

The Jigawa State Police Command has detained a 21-year-old man from the Niger Republic after he was allegedly caught attempting to ferry eight suspected stolen cows across the border in what authorities describe as a rustling operation.

The  arrest was announced in a statement on Sunday by the Command’s spokesperson, SP Shi’isu Adam, in Dutse.

Adam explained that officers from the Maigatari Division moved in at about 10:30 a.m. on 29 November 2025, stopping one Muhammad Abdullahi, a resident of Maidaga village in Dungas District, Niger Republic. He was apprehended at Matoya village in Maigatari LGA while allegedly attempting to move the eight cows, which residents suspect were stolen.

“Acting on intelligence provided by vigilant locals, operatives responded promptly and recovered the eight animals, which are now secured pending identification and return to their rightful owners,” Adam said.

He commended the rapid coordination that led to the arrest, noting that the incident highlights the value of strong cooperation between communities and security agencies in combating rustling, a crime that continues to harm herders’ livelihoods.

Investigations are under way, with police pursuing other members of the suspected syndicate.