The Kogi State Government, working with the Nigerian Army's 12 Brigade and other security agencies, successfully recovered about 1,000 stolen livestock from criminal networks.

The operation targeted remnants of the late bandit kingpin Kachalla Ibrahim Battijo's group and other cattle-rustling syndicates in Kogi and surrounding areas.Over 200 animals were traced to Battijo’s network, while others belonged to armed bandits.

The criminals aimed to sell the livestock to fund their activities, but security forces used intelligence to track them, leading to gun battles where several suspects were neutralized or wounded.The recovered animals are being kept securely in Kabba/Bunu Local Government Area for owner identification and return.Officials praised the collaboration between agencies and emphasized continued efforts to combat criminality in the state.