Enugu Govt Demolishes Alleged Kidnappers’ Dens, Recovers Guns Ammunition
The Enugu State government, Wednesday, demolished structures allegedly used by kidnappers to detain their victims.
Among them were an uncompleted storey-building with an underground tunnel at Nkwubor Layout in Emene Nike where a large cache of arms and ammunition were recovered, and a large farm housing a poultry, piggery, and plantain plantation at Ogbeke Nike, all in Enugu East LGA.
At Nkwubor Nike, 17 firearms were recovered, including eight AK47 rifles, seven pump action rifles, and two shotguns, while two AK47 rifles were recovered at the Ogbeke Nike farm. Shrines, charms, and mini Indian hemp farms were also destroyed.
Security operatives had, following months of discreet investigation on the activities of the kidnappers, stormed the two hideouts, where they rescued some victims after gun duels with the criminals.
Recall that the state government had announced its readiness to demolish structures being used for kidnapping purposes in line with Section 315 of the Criminal Code (Second Amendment) Law Cap. 30, Laws of Enugu State.
The Section 315, which had been redundant since 2016 when it was so amended, provides, “If the building or structure owned by the offender or any other person, who knows or ought to reasonably know that the building or structure is so being used for that purpose, the building or structure shall be demolished or forfeited to the state government.”
Speaking to newsmen at the criminal hideout at Ogbeke, Nike, the Executive Chairman of Enugu Capital Territory Development Authority, ECTDA, Uche Anya, said the demolitions were in compliance with the law as directed by the government, stressing that there is no hiding place for criminals in the state.
He said, “The government is determined to exterminate all manner of criminality. So, people were kidnapped and brought here, including the woman that was kidnapped near the University of Nigeria, Enugu Campus.
“You can see the trouble we took to get here today. So, this has been ongoing. But after today, this place will never exist again in the manner you met it. That is why we are here to send a strong signal and we are also warning property owners not to come and tell us that they are in South Africa, China or Germany and do not know what is happening.
“Once your property or commercial entity is used for kidnapping or anything involving grievous bodily harm or threat, including attempted murder, we will come after you and your property.”
At Nkwubor, Emene, Nike, Anya said, “The activities here were even more gruesome. You have seen the underground cell they built and covered it with a manhole. Ordinarily you will think nothing is happening there, but the eagle eye of the security detected that something was amiss, only to discover that there’s an underground where human beings are kept and we found their armoury, many AK47 rifles and other crazy equipment that no civilian is entitled to hold. But, today, it has to go down as directed by the governor in accordance with the Laws of Enugu State.”
The ECTDA chairman said the government would in addition take over the property and put them to good use, noting that the demolition is an ongoing process as more structures were already marked to go down.
Quoting him, “All these places will be taken over by the government and we can turn it into a children’s playground, garden, park or primary health care. But whoever thought he or she owned this place before this hour will no longer touch his or her foot here forever.
“Enugu State has an anti-kidnapping law, but beside that, the Criminal Code covers that whatever that deprives you of your liberty and leads to death is what the government cannot condone.”
Enugu Govt Demolishes Alleged Kidnappers’ Dens, Recovers Guns Ammunition is first published on The Whistler Newspaper
