Kogi State has recovered over 1,000 livestock stolen by cattle rustlers, following a joint security operation targeting the remnants of late bandit leader Kachalla Ibrahim Battijo’s criminal network and other armed gangs operating in the state.
The operation brought together the Nigerian Army’s 12 Brigade, Hybrid Forces under the Office of the National Security Adviser, the Department of State Services, the Nigeria Police Force, and local vigilantes and hunters. Their combined efforts dismantled cattle-rustling syndicates active across Kogi and the wider North Central region.
Of the recovered animals, about 200 were traced directly to Battijo’s former gang, while the rest were seized from other bandit groups who had been moving stolen cattle through Kogi State to sell and fund further criminal activity.
State Commissioner for Information and Communication, Kingsley Fanwo, said the breakthrough came from credible, timely intelligence that allowed security operatives to track the bandits’ movements and strike before the stolen animals could reach buyers. He said the criminals intended to use proceeds from the sales to purchase weapons and other supplies.
Acting on this intelligence, security forces engaged the bandits in gun battles across several locations. A number of the criminals were killed, while others fled with gunshot wounds, abandoning the livestock as they escaped. Fanwo said fleeing suspects are still being pursued.
He noted that Battijo’s remaining associates have grown increasingly vulnerable since his death, as continued security pressure chips away at what’s left of the network. “Many of the flies that chose to follow the corpse to the grave have now been buried alongside it, while those who escaped with varying degrees of bullet wounds are being actively tracked by our security forces. They will not escape justice,” Fanwo said.
The recovered animals are being held in a secure location in Kabba/Bunu Local Government Area while authorities work to identify and reunite them with their rightful owners.
Fanwo praised the National Security Adviser’s office, the Chief of Army Staff, the Inspector-General of Police, the DSS Director-General, and all military, police, and community personnel involved for their coordinated response, calling it another significant win in the state’s fight against crime.
“Our feet will remain firmly on the pedals until we rid Kogi State of criminal elements and restore the confidence of our people to sleep with both eyes closed,” he added.
He reaffirmed the state government’s commitment to sustaining the offensive against criminal networks, crediting federal security support under President Bola Tinubu for the state’s recent gains. The government also encouraged residents to keep providing security agencies with useful intelligence, pledging that all information would remain confidential and be acted upon swiftly.
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