Maureen Edozie in Enugu
The Enugu State Government has demolished a poultry farm located at Ogbeke Nike, Enugu East local government area believed to be one of the hideout of kidnappers and equally commenced demolition of some buildings used by the hoodlums
Penpushing reports that the farm was demolished by Enugu Capital Territory Development Authority, ECTDA, a team led by the chairman Mr Uche Anya, disclosing that the poultry farm is with over 5,000 birds capacity.
The chairman said a kidnapped victim was rescued, two were arrested while two AK 47 were recovered at the poultry farm, stressing that the state was poised to totally eliminate all forms of criminality, particularly, kidnapping with a view to ensuring a safe state that attracts investment in the state.
Penpushing further reports that that in the early hours of Wednesday, joint security operation led by a Superintendent of Police Onochie Ezeh rescued some kidnapped victims and killed 7-man-gang kidnappers at Ogbeke Nike where they used a large poultry farm to hide their hostages.
The police officer explained that Wednesday’s successful operation was part of the sustained operations in the state to flush out criminals operating from other neighboring states, including kidnappers, unknown gunmen and other unscrupulous elements.
‘We were on the trail of these kidnappers for more than three months now. They had been operating within this axis where they kidnapped their victims and kept them at a large poultry farm at Ogbeke Nike until ransoms are paid’, he said.
‘So, on a tip-off from members of the public who suspected the strange movements in the area and the accounts of some of the victims of these criminals, we swung into action. On sighting us, these men of the underworld opened fire on my men, and we quickly retaliated and overpowered them with our superior firepower’, he said.
Penpushing also reports that Ezeh pointed out that the combined security task force, set up by Governor, Peter Mbah, as a tactical squad against kidnappings and activities of unknown gunmen, had recorded milestones in policing the state and flushing out criminal elements.
‘This is a gallant crack squad with the mandate to eliminate every form of threat in the state. We have recorded huge successes over the past months. You know our role is not to rush to the media to tell our story but to ensure that every citizen and resident of the state has peace’, he emphasised.
“I can tell you that we have already neutralized over 7 criminal gangs who were mostly kidnappers and unknown gunmen. We are going after them. We are taking the battle to their doorsteps because the governor said we should not come back home if we don’t completely rid the state of threats’.
“So we are on it. In fact, during our operations, we identified many criminal hideouts that serve as rogue premises where kidnap victims and dangerous weapons are kept. These places include New Artisan Market, Akwuke community, Akegbe-Ugwu, Four Corners, Awgu, Mgbowo, Emene, Eke and Afa in Udi and some parts of Isi Uzo local government. During rescue operations, we were able to neutralize over 30 of the kidnappers and recovered guns and valuables,” he explained.
Penpushing reports that the security operation was informed by the killing of about 27 kidnappers, including members of the Auto Pilot, known as” Unknown Gunmen,” a faction of the proscribed Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) loyal to the Finland based Simon Ekpa, which terrorized Enugu and its environ in shoot-out in the past months by the jointed security operation
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