Troops of Operation Safe Haven (OPSH), a military special task group responsible for maintaining peace in Plateau State, have turned down a payment of N1.5 million from suspected cattle rustlers.
Capt. James Oya, the task force’s media officer, confirmed this in a statement released yesterday in Jos.
Oya claimed the troops assigned to Sector 4 also apprehended the two suspected rustlers who offered them payments.
He explained that the eight people who refused the bribe were not only commended, but also awarded by the operation’s Commander, Maj. Gen. Abdusalam Abubakar.
Captain Oya said: “OPSH has rewarded eight of its personnel for rejecting a N1.5 million bribe from suspected cattle rustlers in Plateau State.
“The eight personnel deployed in OPSH Sector four intercepted 30 rustled cows at a checkpoint near Bisichi in Barkin Ladi Local Government Area of the state.
“The cattle, belonging to one Shehu Umar, were rustled in Mangu and were being transported to an undisclosed location when intercepted by the troops on a stop-and-search operation.
“The suspects, Anas Usman, 20, and Gyang Cholly, 42, immediately approached the troops in a bid to bribe them and secure a security pass for the stolen cattle.
“The monetary plea was rejected and the suspects arrested as well as the money offered for the bribe.”
He said that the commander, who commended the troops for their bravery and exemplary conduct, urged personnel of other security agencies to emulate the giant move toward the safety of lives and property in the state.
