The government of Niger state has promised to auction no less than 500 cows and sheeps recovered from fleeing bandits if the owners do not claim them.

The Commissioner for Local Government and Internal Security, Emmanuel Umar, on Friday, said the joint task force recovered the animals rustled in Shiroro and Munya local government areas of the state.

Mr Umar, who spoke with journalists in Minna on Friday, said the animals would be with the state Ministry of Livestock until they are claimed by their owners or auctioned and the money kept in the state’s coffers.

“When the time set for owners to identify and claim their animals elapses, the government will seek a court order to auction them and remit the money into the state treasury,” he said.

While narrating the incident that led to the recovery of the animals, the commissioner said a joint security operation was held a few weeks ago after a report that some miscreants invaded Kusatsu village.

“There miscreants were dislodged during the operation and after security operatives apprehended some of the bandits who were trying to relocate.

“Some were neutralised and some animals recovered have been handed over to the state government,” he said.

Mr Umar, however, said that there were casualties among the security men.

“The state government has condoled with families of those who sacrificed their lives for the general peace as well as those who sustained injuries and were in touch with them,” he said without disclosing the casualty figure.

He noted that the state government would fine-tune the operations of the task force to get in touch with neighbouring states for coordinated operations. 

(NAN)