The Ekiti State Police Command has arrested 17 suspected cattle rustlers and recovered a total of 558 cattle in a coordinated security operation across the state.
The Commissioner of Police, Joseph Eribo, disclosed the development on Tuesday in Ado Ekiti, saying the arrests followed actionable intelligence received by the command.
According to Eribo, one Ibrahim Abubakar, described as a notorious cattle rustler and kidnapper, was arrested on January 21 after a credible tip-off.
He said preliminary investigations revealed that Abubakar had been actively involved in cattle rustling for several years.
“During interrogation, the suspect confessed to engaging in cattle rustling and admitted to attacking cattle owners on several occasions and dispossessing them of their livestock,” the police commissioner said.
A total of 255 cattle were recovered from Abubakar, who, according to police findings, has operated across Ekiti, Kwara and Kogi states and had been on the wanted list of security agencies in the three states.
Eribo added that further investigation is ongoing and that the suspect will be charged to court upon completion of the probe.
On the same day, the police arrested 16 other suspected cattle rustlers, including Dauda Abdulrahman, Sanusi Abdullahi, Abdulmumini Abdullahi, Ibrahim Adamu, Aladu, Umaru Bala, Idris Abdullahi, Umaru Dairu, Adamu Abubakar, Salisu Abdullahi, Yahuza Abdulrahman, Abdullahi Salisu, Samaila Abdullahi, Ibrahim Abdullahi and Sanni Muhammadu.
The commissioner said 303 cattle suspected to have been rustled were recovered from the suspects, noting that they failed to provide a satisfactory explanation for their possession of the animals.
In a related development, the command also uncovered and dismantled an illegal baby factory operating along Ise Road in Ikere Ekiti.
Eribo said five suspects were arrested following intelligence reports that a 43-year-old woman, Oluwadare Onyechi, was running an illegal baby factory behind Inisa Hotel and Suites, along the Ikere-Ise Road axis.
He said operatives swiftly cordoned off the premises and arrested Onyechi alongside four accomplices identified as Onuoha Gloria (28), Victoria Linus (25), Ihegbogu Mercy (21) and Emmanuel Esther (23), who was heavily pregnant at the time of arrest.
During a search of the premises, police rescued six children aged between two and nine years, who were suspected to be victims of child trafficking and exploitation.
Items recovered from the location included baby delivery materials, rolls of dexamethasone tablets and bottles of Goya oil.
The police commissioner reaffirmed the command’s commitment to combating organised crime and protecting lives and property across Ekiti State, urging residents to continue providing timely and credible information to security agencies.