By Tony EDIKE, Enugu
THE Enugu State has take stern measures to stamp out kidnapping and  violent crimes in the state. Under the arrangement, the government has directed that any house used to harbour hostages or found to be a hideout for kidnappers in the rural communities will be demolished while the certificate of occupancy of such building in the urban centres will be revoked and the property seized by government.

Governor Sullivan Chime gave the directives during a Town Hall meeting he held with presidents and secretaries of all the 467 autonomous communities in the State at the Governor’s Lodge, Enugu.

Describing the menacing effect of kidnapping in the society as embarrassing and unacceptable, Chime  warned that government would deal decisively with any town union executives in whose communities such unpatriotic crimes are committed while the kidnappers arrested will be made to face the law.
He made it clear that government would not accept any excuse from anybody or town union, pointing out that no matter where one resides either within or outside the country, one has to take full responsibility of what happens in his house or houses.

According to Governor Chime, “no one is above the law. We will tackle the problem of kidnappers and violent crime in the state hundred per cent, not with kid gloves.  We outnumber the violent groups in the society and we must succeed.”

Chime used the occasion to appeal to the town union executives to devise means of monitoring the movement of people both visitors and residents within their communities and to report any unusual movement and suspects to either the police, men of the State Security Services (SSS) or his office.

He solicited the assistance and cooperation of the town unions in the state in the fight against kidnappers and violent crimes, adding that the South-east Governors forum had earlier taken a decision to work together in the fight to check the crime in the interest of the states and their economy.