The Nigeria Police on Tuesday presented 30 cows recovered from cattle rustlers to their rightful owner in Yobe State, north-east Nigeria.
Speaking at the cattle market in Damaturu, the Yobe State capital, the Damaturu Area Commander, Mr Yemi Samuel, who represented the state’s Commissioner of Police, Zannah Ibrahim, expressed joy that the Police did its duty of protecting the lives and property of its citizenry.
He said that the Police would continue to work diligently for the maintenance of law and order in the state and the country as a whole.
The spokesperson of the command, Toyin Gbadegesin, also recalled that three weeks earlier, the members of the Joint Task Force arrested three Boko Haram rustlers with the recovery of 159 cows, 266 sheep, 19 goats and a horse.
According to him, making the said recovery public led to the release of the 30 cows to their rightful owner.
He revealed that the process of identification involved the invitation of several witnesses drawn from village heads and community leaders, to ensure that the animals were really owned by the person claiming ownership.
Mr Gbadegesin said that the remaining cattle were presently in the custody of the Police and asked the people of Damaturu and environs, whose cattle were stolen to come forward with proof of ownership and identifiable evidence for claim.
The owner of the recovered cows, Mr Bulam Ngari, praised the Nigerian Police for the recovery and subsequent release to him, adding that all his lost cows had been fully recovered.
He called on the people to partner with the security operatives towards maintaining law and order in the society.