Eyewitness accounts revealed that the well-armed rustlers, numbering about 30, invaded Madagali settlement at about 10am on the broad daylight on Friday and carted away the animals.
The eyewitness said the stolen cattle hoot-prints were traced by locals of the affected area into Sambisa forest and could not go further for the fear of being killed by the members of the Boko Haram who they alleged were still in control of some parts of the forest.
Confirming the incident, the village head of Krichinga, Abubakar Kanuri said some rustlers invaded their homes and carted away over 1,000 cows belonging to the villagers.
He said the rustlers did not hurt anyone adding that they only carted away cattle which were traced by villagers into Sambisa forest and made a u-turn home for the fear of Boko Haram.
According to him, the matter has been reported to the military authorities manning the area as he further lamented that the cow-stealing incident was becoming rampant in the areas and called on the federal government to step up security in the areas.
Kanuri lamented that the incident has impoverished some villagers who worked very hard to rear those animals and condemned the act in strong terms. He said he suspected that the cattle were stolen by members of Boko Haram, who may have run short of food and money as he claimed that the insurgents could have sold the animals to make money.
One of the villagers whose cattle was stolen, Mallam Saleh lamented that the rustlers invaded his home at about 10am and carted away 100 cows and 50 sheep. Saleh said nine of his colleagues were affected too as the rustlers also carted away over 900 cows, 20 sheep and 40 goats belonging to them, bringing the total to over 1,000 cows stolen by the invaders.
However attempt by THISDAY to get the military authority to speak on the incident proved abortive.
THISDAY
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