Cross River state government demolished five buildings belonging to suspected kidnappers in Asabanka community in Akpabuyo Local Government Area of the state on Thursday.
The demolition followed the rescue of a medical doctor, Vincent Maduka, who was kidnapped on Dec. 9 and rescued unconditionally by the newly-created security outfit in the state “Operation Akpakwu’’.
Mr Leo Inyambe, the State Security Adviser, South, to Gov. Ben Ayade, led the demolition team and said that Ayade had given his word that he had zero tolerance to crime in the state.
He told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) at the demolition site that the state was out for kidnappers, armed robbers, cultists and other criminals.
“What we are doing today is just the beginning of our desire to clampdown on kidnappers. In the last few days, we have arrested some suspected kidnappers who confessed to the crime.
“We are demolishing all the properties that belong to the kidnappers. We are demolishing five buildings today; I am happy to inform you that we have rescued a medical doctor and two others.
“We are still in search of others who were also part of this heinous crime. We want to bring Cross River back to its original peaceful state.
“We are out to give these criminals an offensive. I want to reiterate that there’s no room for any form of criminality in the state anymore,’’ he said.
He appealed to residents in the state to always avail government with information that could lead to the timely arrest of suspected criminals in their neighbourhoods. (NAN)
