By Chibuzo Ihegboro
The Enugu State Government, on Wednesday, demolished properties used by kidnappers for detaining their victims in the outskirts of Enugu, the state capital.
Among the properties 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 riffles, seven pump action riffles, and two short guns, while two AK47 riffles were recovered at the Ogbeke Nike farm. Shrines, charms, and mini Indian hemp farms were also destroyed.
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 said law as directed by the government, stressing that there is no hiding place for criminals in the state.
“This 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,” he stated.
Nkwubor, Emene, Nike, Anya told reporters, “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 in the course of doing their work 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 riffles and other crazy equipments that no civilian is entitled to hold. But, today, it is has to go down as directed by the governor in accordance with the Laws of Enugu State,” he said.
