Troops arrest three notorious cattle rustling syndicates, recover 27 cattle in Plateau
By: Zagazola Makama
Troops of Sector 8, Sub-Sector 81, Operation ENDURING PEACE (OPEP), have arrested three suspected cattle rustling syndicates and recovered 27 cattle believed to have been stolen after attack on Fulani herders in Mangu Local Government Area of Plateau State.
The operation was conducted at about 0535 hours on Sept. 16, 2026, following reports of cattle-rustling activities at Perka Village, Ampang District, Mangu LGA.
According to security sources, troops raided an identified hideout of the suspected cattle rustlers in the village and arrested three suspects identified as Danjuma Bakmun, 33; Nantok Bitrus, 30; and Manji Ibrahim, 30.
The troops also recovered 27 cattle suspected to have been rustled from their owners.
The suspects and recovered livestock were subsequently moved to the troops’ location in Mangun for further interrogation.
The latest recovery has also drawn attention to the sustained targeted killing and cattle rustling which continue to fuel insecurity in parts of Mangu. Recalled that three young Fulani herders were killed suspected Mwaghavul militia in Alohom community, Sabon Gari District of Mangu Local Government Area of Plateau State. The victims including Garzali Shuibu, 18; Bashiru Yakubu, 14; and Salim Abubakar, 15 were reportedly attacked while grazing in the area on Saturday, Sept. 12.
The soldiers deployed from Sabon Gari moved to the location and reportedly found the horrifying bodies of the three youths, alongside 36 cattle that had been shot dead. Another 12 cattle sustained gunshot wounds, while two other members of the herding group were reported missing.
The targeting of herders is particularly significant because the killing of young herders, theft of cattle or destruction of livestock can generate immediate anger within affected communities and create conditions for retaliatory attacks.
Similarly, attacks on farming communities, including killings, destruction of crops and other property, have also contributed to grievances and reprisals.
Operation Enduring Peace have set up perimeters to mitigate farm encroachment but both the herders and farmers have continued to violate the agreement. While the farmers continued to destroy farmlands, the locals also continue to stage poisonous crops along cattle as part of deliberate efforts to kill cattle belonging to the fulani.
The security concern, therefore, goes beyond the recovery of stolen cattle. Criminal elements who attack vulnerable communities have continued to exploit existing ethnic and communal tensions, while subsequent reprisals often widen the conflict and make it increasingly difficult to distinguish ordinary criminality from communal violence.
Security forces have consequently continued to emphasise intelligence gathering, early intervention and community cooperation to prevent isolated criminal incidents from escalating into broader reprisals.
Meanwhile, Fulani leaders have been invited to assist security authorities in identifying the rightful owners of the recovered cattle.
Sources said investigation is ongoing to establish the suspects’ alleged involvement in recent attacks against herders and the cattle rustling in Mangu general area.
