Police in Anambra have re-arrested a key suspect in the kidnap and murder of the late Mr. Justice Azuka, a member of the Anambra State House of Assembly who was abducted on December 24, 2024, and later found dead.
Azuka, who represented Onitsha 1 Constituency, was kidnapped by gunmen while returning home along Ugwunapampa Road in Onitsha. His body was recovered on February 6, 2025, on the Second Niger Bridge, sparking public outrage.
According to the police spokesperson, SP Tochukwu Ikenga, the suspect had previously escaped from custody during an operation by the Rapid Response Squad. He was among several individuals arrested in connection with the crime and had helped lead police to one Tochukwu Akolisa, accused of buying stolen property from the victims.
The suspect was finally re-arrested on May 7 in Asaba, Delta State, after a wide-ranging intelligence-led manhunt that spanned several states and even reached into a neighbouring West African country. He was shot in the leg while trying to escape arrest.
The Anambra State Police Commissioner, CP Ikioye Orutugu, admitted to the lapses that led to the suspect’s initial escape and assured the public that actionable intelligence from the suspect is helping current investigations.
The police say efforts are ongoing to track down the remaining fugitives and dismantle the criminal gang behind the lawmaker’s murder.
Stakeholders, including the late lawmaker’s family and the state assembly leadership, have been briefed as investigations continue.
Meanwhile, police spokesperson Grace Iringe-Koko confirmed that investigations were ongoing and that efforts had been intensified to rescue the victims and bring the culprits to justice.
The Maritime Workers Union has also threatened to suspend transport operations on the waterway if the government fails to act swiftly to improve security.
