CD Urges Governors To Demolish Criminals’ Houses

A pro-democracy group, Campaign for Democracy (CD), has
urged governors of southeastern states to demolish any house or structure used
by criminals to perpetrate their crime.

The South-East regional chapter of CD made the call in a
statement issued in Onitsha , recently.

The statement, signed by Chairman and Secretary of the
groupMr Uzor Uzor and Dr Jerry Chukwuokolo,
respectively, also urged the governors to send bills to their respective
legislatures to back such move.

According to the group, “the bill should provide for the
demolition of any property used as criminals’ hideout or used in any shade to
advance the cause of criminality in the South East geopolitical zone. “The
state governors have to deal decisively with collaborators and
partners-in-crime of these evil elements to serve as a deterrent to others.

“It would create a sense of responsibility among the
landlords and business operators in any locality to always monitor their
tenants. “It would also make property owners to watch over their belongings in
order not to allow suspicious characters or unauthorised squatters to use their
facilities,’’ it said.

The statement, nonetheless, commended Governor Rochas
Okorocha of Imo for endorsing the Act, which provides for the demolition of an
identified kidnapper’s property or structure and the confiscation of its land
by government.

It cited a case involving Eze C.S.O Okafor, the Ezejiofor 1
of Nnenator autonomous community in Ihioma, Orlu LGA of Imo. “The traditional
ruler’s son was arrested for kidnapping and after investigations, it was found
that the monarch was privy to the crime which his son was committing and he
failed to report it to appropriate security agencies.

“The state government demolished the house of the monarch, stripped
him of his staff of office, removed his signpost and banned him from parading
himself as a traditional ruler,’’ the statement said.