Enugu Communities Adopt Bush Burning To Fight Kidnapping

Various communities situated along insecurity-threatened zones in Udenu Local Government Area of Enugu State have encouraged owners of the lands identified as kidnappers’ routes and hideouts to burn them.

The affected communities are Obollo, Umuosigide, Ezimo, Imilike-Etiti and Agu-Orba.

“These linked routes connect to neighbouring Benue State, and these kidnappers have successfully been using the network to waylay their captives en route to Benue where they collect ransom,” reveals Edwin Ezeme, from Umuosigide. He added, “These communities have a large expanse of land that is not habited. The land is mainly used as cashew plantations. Some parts are just fallow. The kidnappers use the routes unhindered. Landowners were encouraged to burn overgrown areas of their land to make them unconducive for criminal activities.”

Alphonsus Odo is from Ama-Ogbelle, Ezimo. He said, “Bush burning is banned in our area for a long time. But the recent development has made it among the options to check these criminals. They hide in our bushes. They stay on some hills. They hide their captives there, and move them out at night. Burning bushes will expose these hidden areas. We are encouraged to burn bushes, but with caution. We normally carve out portions, and burn them. It is not just setting bushes ablaze, but being strategic.”

He explained that the zone is a cashew belt, adding that, “It would amount to economic waste if we burn our sources of living. Nobody wants to burn their cashew plantations. We clear them, and burn the grasses around them. But when no economic trees are identified, setting such areas ablaze is encouraged.”

John Eze is from Agu-Orba. He said, “We are even afraid to go to these buses to clear the bushes because of insecurity. We now go in a group to work. We set some areas on fire, but all efforts are made to minimise damage. The truth is that if we don’t burn the bushes, we can’t also harvest cashew nuts when the season comes. There is the need for visibility to avoid people missing in the bush. We are grateful for the efforts already made by relevant authorities. The incidences of crimes have reduced, and we pray normalcy will soon return as before.”

It was learnt that authorities of the respective communities had warned that landowners who fail to clear theirs would risk total burning of their land without consideration to economic trees in them.