The Enugu State Government, on Wednesday, carried out the demolition of properties used by kidnappers to detain their victims on the outskirts of Enugu, the state capital.
The properties included an uncompleted storey building with an underground tunnel at Nkwubor Layout in Emene Nike, where a large cache of arms and ammunition was recovered, and a farm in Ogbeke Nike housing a poultry, piggery, and plantain plantation.
At the Nkwubor Nike site, security operatives recovered 17 firearms, including eight AK47 rifles, seven pump-action rifles, and two shotguns. At the Ogbeke Nike farm, two additional AK47 rifles were found. The authorities also destroyed shrines, charms, and mini Indian hemp farms found at the sites.
The demolitions followed months of discreet investigations by security operatives, which led to the storming of these hideouts. During the raids, several kidnapped victims were rescued after intense gun battles with the criminals.
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The action aligns with the Enugu State Government’s commitment, under Governor Peter Mbah’s administration, to eradicate crime in the state. The government had previously announced its intention to demolish properties used for criminal activities, citing Section 315 of the Criminal Code (Second Amendment) Law Cap. 30, Laws of Enugu State, which allows for the demolition or forfeiture of such properties to the state.
Speaking at the site in Ogbeke Nike, the Executive Chairman of the Enugu Capital Territory Development Authority (ECTDA), Uche Anya, emphasized the government’s resolve to eliminate all forms of criminality in the state. He warned property owners that ignorance of their properties being used for criminal activities would not be accepted as an excuse.
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“This government is determined to exterminate all manner of criminality. People were kidnapped and brought here, including a woman kidnapped near the University of Nigeria, Enugu Campus. But after today, this place will never exist again in the manner you met it,” Anya stated.
At Nkwubor Emene Nike, Anya described the situation as even more gruesome, revealing that the underground cell where victims were held was concealed beneath a manhole. “The security operatives, through their diligence, discovered this underground cell and found an armory filled with AK47 rifles and other weapons that no civilian should possess. Today, it all has to go down as directed by the governor,” he said.
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The ECTDA Chairman also announced that the government would take over the demolished properties and repurpose them for public use, such as parks, playgrounds, or primary healthcare centers. He assured that the demolition process would continue, with more structures already marked for destruction.