By Kayode Sanni-Arewa
Nigerian Govt Compiles List Of Buildings, Properties Used For Kidnapping, Marks Them For Demolition
The Enugu State government has concluded plans to begin to demolish properties whether private residences or business premises, allegedly used for kidnap purposes.
The government announced this in a statement issued by the Secretary to the State Government, Prof. Chidiebere Onyia, on Tuesday evening.
The government, according to the statement, said the step was in continuation of the determined effort of the Governor Peter Mbah Administration to rid the state of all forms of crimes and criminalities.
The Enugu State House of Assembly had in November 2016 amended the Criminal Code Law of Enugu State, which was subsequently signed into Law by the former Governor, Mr Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi, on 20th January 2017.
Section 315 of the Criminal Code (Second Amendment) Law Cap. 30, Laws of Enugu State, currently 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.”
The statement however noted that citizens of that state had wondered why the government was yet to enforce it eight years after.
Onyia said that the current administration has in responding to the citizen agitations over what they perceived as a lukewarm attitude to the law, taken its time to carry out due diligence to ensure that nobody suffers undue losses or miscarriage of justice.
The government warned property owners to take necessary steps to know their prospective tenants before leasing properties to them.
“Now, after due diligence, the government has compiled the properties used for kidnapping purposes in recent times and they will go down sooner than later to serve a deterrent to others.
“There is no hiding place for criminal elements in Enugu State. They either repent, leave town or meet their Waterloo. The choice is theirs”.