Police in Kaduna State, said on Friday that their operatives killed one bandit and arrested six suspected bandits on Monday in Unguwan Haske village in the Kauru Local Government Area of the state.

The spokesman, ASP Mohammed Jalige, stated that the encounter followed tipoff that some suspected cattle rustlers were in the village making suspicious purchases of airtime and some consumables at about 10 p.m.

He stated that the police immediately deployed operatives and members of a vigilante group to the village to accost the suspects.

He explained the suspects opened fire on the operatives on sight and the commensurate response they got from the law enforcement agents led to the death of one of them.

“One of the bandits was neutralized while six others were apprehended,’’ he stated.

Jalige added that one AK47 rifle loaded with one round of live 7.62 X 39mm ammunition, 130 heads of cattle, and 80 sheep were recovered from the group.

He stressed that there was no casualty on the side of the friendly forces.

He stated also that the suspects were undergoing interrogation and would be charged in court upon completion of the investigation.

He added that efforts were being intensified to locate and identify the rightful owners of the rustled cattle.

Jalige stated that the Commissioner of Police in Kaduna State, Mr. Yekini Ayoku, commended the gallantry of the operatives and appreciated the community’s efforts in providing timely information.

Such timely information, he said, was the tool required to nip crimes in the bud.