Enugu State Government has revealed it will soon target both private residences and business establishments implicated in kidnapping activities in the state.
This decisive action, articulated by the Secretary to the State Government, Prof. Chidiebere Onyia, marks a significant escalation in the relentless campaign spearheaded by Governor Peter Mbah’s administration to purge the state of all criminal threats.
This decision seeks to enforce the Enugu State House of Assembly’s amendment of the Criminal Code Law in November 2016—a change that was signed into law by former governor Hon. Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi on January 20, 2017. The law’s Section 315 (Second Amendment) explicitly states, “Any building or structure owned by the offender, or by any individual who knows or ought to have reasonably known that it is being used for criminal purposes, shall be subject to demolition or forfeiture to the State Government.”
Citizens across Enugu have grown increasingly impatient, wondering why this critical law has remained dormant for eight long years.
In response to mounting public outcry over what many perceived as governmental apathy, the current administration has insisted it is meticulously preparing to ensure fair enforcement—vowing that no innocent property owner will suffer from undue loss or be caught in a miscarriage of justice.
The government has issued an urgent warning to property owners to adopt rigorous vetting processes for prospective tenants, compelling them to take decisive action before it’s too late.
“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”.
