The Benue State Police Command has arrested 11 suspected armed herdsmen and foiled a major cattle rustling operation in Katsina-Ala Local Government Area of the state.

Zagazola understand that the suspects were arrested in the early hours of Sunday following a gun battle between the herdsmen and security personnel around the Gbise area, near Tor-Donga.

The operation, which was coordinated by the Assistant Commissioner of Police (ACPOL), Katsina-Ala, followed intelligence received at about 6:00 a.m. that armed herdsmen were sighted in Nagu, a community near Gbise, causing panic among residents.

It was gathered that the patrol and tactical teams were quickly mobilised to the area where they encountered a group of Fulani men loading cattle into a Mercedes Benz truck with registration number TTM 405 XA, Taraba State.

“As officers approached the scene, they came under fire from about 50 armed herdsmen who were hiding in the surrounding bushes,” the statement said.

The police responded with superior firepower, forcing the attackers to retreat into the forest.

The sources said that Eleven suspects were arrested during the operation, while nine cows and one sheep were recovered. The Mercedes Benz truck used for conveying the animals was also impounded.

Cattle rustling and clashes between herders and farmers have been a persistent challenge in parts of Benue, often resulting in loss of lives and property. (Zagazola, but headline rejgged)