The recovered animals comprised 15 cows and 35 sheep, according to the police.
The command said the incident occurred on Saturday after suspected armed bandits attacked Kwarara village in Jibia, where they reportedly rustled livestock belonging to residents.
In a statement issued by the command’s spokesman, DSP Abubakar Sadiq Aliyuhe, the police said they received a distress call at about 7:30pm following the attack.
He said the Divisional Police Officer in Jibia promptly mobilized a patrol team from the Vigilance and Community Response Unit (VCRU), alongside operatives of the Katsina State Community Watch Corps (KSCWC), to pursue the suspects.
According to the police, the security team tracked the suspected cattle rustlers to the Jibia Dam Site, where the operatives engaged them in a gun battle.
The command said the suspects were eventually overwhelmed by the superior firepower of the security forces and fled, abandoning the livestock they had allegedly stolen.
The police added that some of the fleeing suspects were believed to have sustained gunshot injuries during the confrontation.
During a search of the area, the security operatives arrested a 22-year-old suspect identified as Ibrahim, also known as Daura.
The police said Ibrahim is currently assisting investigators as efforts continue to track down and arrest other members of the alleged cattle-rustling syndicate.
The command said the recovery of the animals and the arrest form part of ongoing efforts to tackle banditry, cattle rustling and other security challenges affecting communities in Katsina State.
The recovered livestock are expected to be identified and returned to their rightful owners after the completion of the necessary police procedures.
