Fifty-three persons were on Thursday intercepted by security operatives in Kagarko Local Government Area of Kaduna State following an alarm raised by residents that they sighted armed herders.
The operatives had trailed them to an open field at Toba village, Tafa Local Government Area in Niger State where they were stopped and searched. No incriminating item was however found on them.
Kagarto and Tafa councils share boundaries.
Kaduna State Commissioner for Internal Security and Home Affairs, Samuel Aruwan, who confirmed the development described the intercepted persons as “a band of traveling herders.”
He said they were traveling to their bases in Plateau and Bauchi states when residents sighted them and alerted the operatives.
Aruwan said: “Security agencies have confirmed to the Kaduna State Government that a group of migrating persons sighted around Tafa village in Kagarko council area were identified as a band of traveling herders.
“This followed several distress calls from citizens on the movement of armed bandits in the Lambata-Kabbo area of Tafa village, in Kagarko local government area.
“In response to the reports, troops, and Police operatives were mobilized to the area for confirmation and possible engagement.
“The troops trailed the group to an open field at Toba village, Tafa, Niger State. Upon confirmatory checks, it was discovered that they were herders in transit from Dobi in Gwagwalada (FCT) and Gawu-Babangida, Lambata (Niger State) to their original stations in Jos, Plateau State and Bauchi, Bauchi State.
