31 cows missing in Police custody in Kaduna

A Fulani family in Kaban village in Igabi  Local Government Area of Kaduna State have called on the State Governor Nasir El-Rufai and the State Commissioner of Police Ahmad Abdurrahman to help recover their cows that got missing while in police custody.

The family alleged that the 31 cows and two sheep got missing a year ago after some policemen went to the village and took the animals away.

A member of the family, Abubakar Ibrahim, said that since the policemen led by a DCO stormed the small village and took the cows and sheep away, efforts to get back the cows failed.

Abubakar, popularly known as Habu, said the family have so far spent 1.750 million naira in an effort to recover those cows from the police.

“My sibling and my brother in-law, who went after the cows to inquire reasons for the police action, were detained for two weeks. We have no option but to bail them with N580,000.

“So far, we have spent N1.750 million to recover those cows and the sheep because they (police) kept collecting money from us without telling us where the cows are. The police officer kept telling us that the cows have been taken to Abuja.

“This is why we are calling on the State Governor and the Commissioner of police to intervene by calling on the police officers to return our cows,” he said.

On the reason given by the police for confiscating the cows, Habu explained that the officers accused him of having a gun which he denied.

“I have never own a gun in my life. I personally met the officer who also told me that their investigation later shows I’m innocent but yet he requested for N700,000 bribe from me before the cows will be released but I told him I don’t have that amount of money so he later collected N200,000 naira yet, the cows are still not return,” he said.

He said all they asked for were the cows because they belong to the family and they are not going to let go no matter how long it will take them to get justice.

The village Head of Kaban, Alhaji Shehu Muhammad, confirmed the incident as he said the Habu’s family were peace-loving people in the community.

When contacted, the State Police Command Public Relations Officer, Yakubu Sabo declined comments.