The Niger State Police Command announced yesterday that it has apprehended three suspects believed to be involved in receiving and selling cattle stolen from Ibeto community in Mariga Local Government Area.
The livestock were allegedly taken from the community and moved across state lines before investigators traced them.
According to the Command, a formal report was filed on November 13, 2025, leading detectives from the State Criminal Investigation Department, Minna, to begin a comprehensive investigation.
Their work resulted in the recovery of several rustled cows in Lagos and Oyo states.
The suspects arrested were identified as 25-year-old Naziru Mustapha of Ogbomoso, Oyo State; 30-year-old Husseini Abubakar of Mariga, who currently resides in Ogbomoso; and 40-year-old Kabiru Magaji, also from Mariga but based in Ogbomoso.
Police said the men were directly involved in the unlawful cattle operations.
“Naziru and Husseini are suspected receivers of the rustled cattle. Eight cows were recovered from their possession and subsequently identified by the rightful owners,” the Police Public Relations Officer, SP Wasiu Abiodun, stated.
He added that two other suspects, Bashar Sani and Ibrahim Tasiu, both from Mariga but residing around the Ogbomoso area of Oyo State, are currently at large.
The Police said efforts are ongoing to locate the fleeing suspects, identify additional receivers, and recover more of the stolen livestock as the investigation progresses.
