Chiedi – At least 133 heads of cattle, such as pigs and goats, stolen in the southern Cunene Province were handed over to their rightful owners by the National Police on Monday.
The animals, stolen in various parts of the province, were recovered as part of the first phase of the ‘Okwamena Oimuna’ police operation, which ran from January to March this year, with the involvement of 228 officers.
Speaking at the event, the head of operations for the Cunene Provincial Command of the National Police, Lieutenant-colonel André Coxi, said that the animals had been recovered in the municipalities of Chiedi, Curoca and Cuvela.
He said that the operation would continue throughout the province, in order to protect livestock, which is the biggest economic asset of the population of the southern region of Angola.
On the occasion, he advised farmers to control their animals, especially in the grazing area, in order to prevent theft.
In turn, the municipal administrator of Chiedi, Izequias Valungameka, praised the work of the corporation, which has had positive effects in combating the theft of cattle from families seeking to create their wealth.
He urged the population to continue to collaborate more with the police, chieftains and the municipal administration in denouncing offenders, with a view to them being held criminally responsible.
In 2024, the National Police in Cunene recovered 986 head of cattle of various species during the operation called ‘Okwamena Eliko mo Mukune’, which ran from 25 June to 20 December.
Data from the Cunene Provincial Office of Agriculture, Livestock and Fisheries points to the existence of 1.1 million heads of cattle in the province.
PEM/LHE/MCN/DAN/jmc
