A joint security operation in the deadly Kamuku Forest has led to the recovery of about 30,000 stolen cattle from rustlers.

Governor of Katsina State, Aminu Masari, told reporters about the recovery at the end of a meeting held on Saturday in neighbouring Kaduna State to review the joint security operations.

Kamuku Forest borders seven states in the North-West zone of Nigeria – Kaduna, Zamfara, Sokoto, Kano, Kebbi, Katsina and Niger.

Briefing reporters at the end of the meeting with other governors in the region, which was held behind closed door, Governor Masari, who spoke on behalf of the governors, said that the essence of the meeting was to appraise the security situation concerning cattle rustling and other related crimes in the zone with a view to tackling them.

He announced that so far, about 30,000 cattle stolen by rustlers had been recovered from the forest.

The meeting had Governors of Katsina, Kebbi, Kaduna, Sokoto and Zamfara states in attendance.

According to Governor Masari, the Governors, having reviewed operations within the areas, were satisfied with the level of operations carried out by the security agencies mandated to comb the forest.

On the advent of kidnapping in some part of the region recently, he attributed it to the fallout of the fight against rustlers, who may have decided to go into the act, having been blocked from stealing cattle.

The Governor, however, urged the public to cooperate with security agencies by providing useful information about activities of criminals around their communities especially those that share boundary with the forest.

•Text courtesy of Channels TV. Photo shows Governor Masari.