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The Anambra State Police Command said it has arrested nine suspects allegedly involved in the killing of the member representing Onitsha North 1 Constituency in the state House of Assembly, Justice Azuka.
Recall that the decomposing body of Azuka, who was kidnapped on December 24, 2024, along Ugwunaobankpa road in Inland Town, Onitsha, while returning home for Christmas, was found by the roadside at the second Niger Bridge, in the early hours of Thursday.
The Commissioner of Police in Anambra, Nnaghe Itam, who disclosed the arrest of the suspects in a press statement issued on Friday, said the joint security team on a mission to rescue the abducted lawmaker found Azuka’s lifeless body.
Itam said on the same day his corpse was found, the command’s men, in a joint operation with Anambra State Vigilante operatives acting on intelligence-led information, arrested nine suspects allegedly actively involved in the incident.
Two pump action guns were recovered from the suspects, according to Itam.
He added that one of the suspects sustained an injury in the leg during a gun duel with the police operatives.
The arrested suspects are: Ugochukwu Onuorah (30), Ikemefuna Ossai (20), Ikenna Orugu (27), Chibuike Obiefuna (19), Chinonso Olisa (19) Chinedu Okoli (21), David Ojini (25) and Peter Sunday (20) who was said to a big tattoo inscription of ‘No peace 4 d Government’ on his chest.
In a similar development, nine suspected kidnappers were arrested during a joint operation by the Agunechemba Security Squad and local vigilantes in Anambra State.
It was gathered that the operation targeted hideouts in Owere Zukala, located in the Orumba South Local Government Area of the state.
An operative, who spoke on condition of anonymity, stated that the team had been monitoring the suspects with the help of local villagers, confirming the information before launching the operation.
According to the source, investigations revealed that most of the arrested individuals fled Arondizuogu in Imo State, where they were pursued by the Joint Task Force on Security, and relocated to Anambra to continue their criminal activities.
Items recovered from the suspects included motorcycles, power generators, and arms.
The alleged gang leader, identified as the “Fat One,” was reportedly involved in multiple kidnap operations across Anambra and Imo states.
The source said, “We have been monitoring them for some time now and the villagers have been helping us. So when we confirmed the information, we had to inform our colleagues at Awka, and we all made preparations with our point men in the neighboring towns, who also confirmed that those men do visit their towns.
“We discovered that most of them were those who ran away from parts of Arondizuogu in Imo state and had to come into Anambra to settle and continue their deadly activities.”
Meanwhile, Special Adviser to Governor Chukwuma Soludo on Community Security, Prince Kenneth Emeakayi, confirmed the operation and the arrest.
He vowed that no stone would be left unturned in the government’s determination to rid the state of crime and criminality.
“It is over for these criminals and we shall leave no stone unturned to unmask these boys because we have resolved to free the entire Anambra state.
“I want to once again warn house landlords and owners of hospitality businesses to be mindful of the kind of persons that stay in their houses or lodge in their hotels because if it is confirmed we shall bring the building down in line with the laws of the state,” he said.
