In a decisive move against criminality, the Enugu State Government on Wednesday demolished properties used by kidnappers to detain their victims on the outskirts of Enugu, the state capital. The targeted sites included an uncompleted storey-building with an underground tunnel at Nkwubor Layout in Emene Nike, where a significant cache of arms and ammunition was recovered, and a large farm housing a poultry, piggery, and plantain plantation at Ogbeke Nike, both in Enugu East Local Government Area.
During the operation at Nkwubor Nike, security operatives recovered 17 firearms, including eight AK-47 rifles, seven pump-action rifles, and two shotguns. At the Ogbeke Nike farm, two additional AK-47 rifles were found. Along with the weapons, shrines, charms, and mini Indian hemp farms were also destroyed.
The demolitions followed months of discreet investigation into the activities of the kidnappers, leading to a coordinated raid by security forces. The operation resulted in the discovery of the hideouts and the rescue of several victims after intense gun battles with the criminals.
This crackdown aligns with the Enugu State Government’s commitment to eradicating crime under the administration of Governor Peter Mbah. The government had previously announced its readiness to demolish properties used for kidnapping in accordance with Section 315 of the Criminal Code (Second Amendment) Law Cap. 30, Laws of Enugu State. This section, which has been dormant since its amendment in 2016, mandates the demolition or forfeiture of buildings used for criminal activities to the state government.
Speaking at the site of the Ogbeke Nike hideout, Uche Anya, Executive Chairman of the Enugu Capital Territory Development Authority (ECTDA), emphasized that the demolitions were carried out in compliance with the law and as directed by the government. He reiterated the administration’s zero-tolerance policy towards criminality in the state.
“This government is determined to exterminate all forms of criminality,” Anya stated. “People were kidnapped and brought here, including a woman abducted near the University of Nigeria, Enugu Campus. We are here to send a strong signal that there is no hiding place for criminals in Enugu State.”
At the Nkwubor, Emene, Nike site, Anya described the situation as even more gruesome, highlighting the discovery of an underground cell where human beings were kept, concealed by a manhole. “The security operatives, with their keen observation, uncovered this underground cell and an arsenal of weapons that no civilian should possess. This place, as it stands, will be demolished as directed by the governor in accordance with the laws of Enugu State,” he said.
Anya also announced that the government would seize these properties and repurpose them for public use, possibly as playgrounds, parks, or primary healthcare centers. He issued a stern warning to property owners, stating that ignorance of their property’s use as a criminal hideout would not be an acceptable defense.
“Enugu State has an anti-kidnapping law, and the Criminal Code further stipulates that any act that deprives someone of their liberty and leads to death is something the government cannot tolerate,” Anya concluded.
The demolition process is ongoing, with more structures marked for destruction as part of the state’s broader strategy to combat kidnapping and other criminal activities.
