By Desire Emmanuel
A building said to have been used by kidnappers as their hideout where they also keep their victims was on Tuesday demolished by the Enugu State government.
The demolition was carried out following the rescue of a kidnapped victim by security operatives in the bungalow at Umueze Awkunanaw in Nkanu West Local Government Area.
According to a statement regarding the incident, the building was allegedly used by the prime suspect, identified as Igwenagu Ogbodo, and his gang for holding their victims captive.
Ogbodo and some of his gang members, however, escaped with various degrees of gunshot wounds when security agencies stormed the property.
Speaking to newsmen during the demolition, the council chairman, Mr John Ogbodo, commended Governor Peter Mbah for consistently demonstrating the political will in the war against insecurity.
He said: “The prime suspect and his gang kidnapped the person and brought him here. He was rescued and his vehicle recovered. Some arms and ammunition were equally recovered.
“I thank Governor Mbah for his political will and demonstration of capacity, in line with what he told Enugu residents that any house that harbours criminals or used to aid criminality will be demolished.
“That is exactly what is happening here today (Tuesday) and it is in line with the laws of the state.
“This is not the first house to be demolished in Enugu by this administration, in connection with kidnapping, neither is it the second nor the third.
“But this is the first one to be demolished in Nkanu West, and I know this is going to serve as a deterrent to other criminal elements,” Ogbodo said.
He called on communities and Presidents-General to be mindful of the kind of people that live amongst them and to report any suspicious person to security agencies.
“Again, I want to use this opportunity to advise anyone who has a property in the state to be mindful of their tenants and the activities going on in their property.
“This is because any house used to harbour criminality, like kidnapping, stands to be demolished,” he said.
