Police in Ipokia Division, Ipokia Local Government of Ogun State have nabbed a cow rustling kingpin, Yewhenu.
Yewhenu was allegedly arrested by the police alongside two of his cow rustling gang members, Zannu and Gbiyongbe. Other members of the gang are, however, still at large.
The notorious gang of cow rustlers, who recently stole four cows in Ijowo, a village in Yewa South, Ogun State.
Yewhenu and his gang members reportedly specialised in cow rustling in local communities in Ipokia Local Government Area. Before their arrest, they had allegedly robbed different farmers in the communities of no fewer than 25 cows.
The most recent crime of cattle rustling allegedly perpetrated by Yewhenu and his gang members occurred in Ijowo, Iparan and Odepata, all in Ipokia area and Yewa South.
It was gathered that most of the cow theft allegedly perpetrated by the gang remained undetected until their last operation which irked the police officers in the division, who were said to have vowed to track down the fleeing gang leader, Yewhenu, and the other members of his group.
The notorious cow rustling kingpin, Yewhenu and the two other members of his gang arrested along with him, it was learnt, had already confessed to have committing the crime, claiming to have sold some of the cows while they had also butchered one.
It was learnt that already similar cases of cow rustling pending against Yehwenu and his gang in the office of the Police Area Commander in Ilaro, are to also be combined with the latest one for a comprehensive investigation by the Area Command Crime branch.
Some residents of the affected communities in Ipokia and its environs, who pleaded anonymity, explained that they were happy and enjoyed respite for a while when a relative of the gang leader, who had allegedly earlier been perpetrating similar crime in the area, suddenly died. They said their joy was, however, shortlived when Yewhenu suddenly emerged and took over the criminal trade of his dead relation and thus became another terror to all residents of the area.
The members of the communities, who expressed gratitude to the police for the professionalism and honesty they displayed in their handling of the case, said they hoped that this laudable achievement would restore peace in their communities, “if the justice initiated by the Police in Ipokia Division is allowed to prevail by other key role players as the investigation continues.”
But when contacted, Ogun State Police Public Relations Officer, Abimbola Oyeyemi, said he had yet to be briefed on the arrest of the cattle rustling kingpin and his gang members.