admin
The Anambra State Police Command has yet to rearrest the two suspects who escaped from its custody a month ago following the kidnap and murder of Anambra lawmaker, Justice Azuka.
The fleeing criminals are believed to be key suspects connected to the murder of Hon. Justice Azuka, representing Onitsha 1 Constituency in the Anambra State House of Assembly.
Confirming the escape in February, the State Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), SP Tochukwu Ikenga, stated that efforts were underway to rearrest the fugitives. He also assured that officers responsible for the escape would face disciplinary action.
According to Ikenga:
“The Commissioner of Police, Ikioye Orutugu, upon receiving the report of the escape, immediately deployed human, operational, and intelligence resources to track down the suspects.
Additionally, disciplinary measures have been initiated against officers found culpable.”
Preliminary investigations revealed that the two suspects had been assisting police officers in an operation to apprehend a receiver of stolen goods and recover vehicles used in the gang’s criminal activities. During the operation, the receiver was arrested, and two stolen vehicles were recovered. However, the two suspects managed to escape.
However, for the past month, there has not been any update by police on the whereabouts of the suspects.
Background
The Anambra State Police Command said it had arrested nine suspects allegedly involved in the killing of the member representing Onitsha North 1 Constituency in the state House of Assembly, Justice Azuka.
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, a few days before the parade of the suspects.
Whistleblower Receives Death Threats
The Human Rights, Liberty Access and Peace Defenders’ Foundation (HURIDE) and Campaign for Democracy (CD) South East raised the alarm in February over threats to the life of their Executive Director and Chairman CD South East Zone, respectively, Uzor A. Uzor.
A joint press release by the rights groups alleged threatening calls and messages against the life of Uzor.
Uzor is a notable human rights activist and a security expert who has been instrumental in busting hideouts of some criminal elements and handing them over to security authorities.
He was a leading figure in the recent arrest of criminal elements who murdered a serving legislature in Anambra State, among the many high-profile criminal cases in the state.
The Vice Chairman of HURIDE, Comrade Chika Udemadu, who signed the statement, said on Wednesday, that about 1:13 pm, threat messages and calls flooded Uzor’s phone.
One of the messages read:
“I know who u are, and I know what u are up to, but I pity ur family because u are too young to die. Be warned.” It came through GSM number 07083384210.
Udemadu said sometimes, they would call and start raining unprintable threats against our Executive Director and our Chairman.
Group, Police Chief Differ
The Onitsha Ado Youths Forum (OAYF) has challenged the Anambra Commissioner of Police, CP Ikioye Irutugu’s claim that the two escapee suspects were not the principal suspects but rather drivers.
The Anambra CP had claimed that Chinedu and Ikemefuna, who escaped from police custody, were not principal suspects in the kidnapping and murder of Hon. Justice Azuka, a Labour Party lawmaker representing Onitsha North 1 Constituency.
CP Irutugu explained that Chinedu and Ikemefuna were only guiding officers to the buyer or receiver of Azuka’s stolen vehicles and belongings, not the masterminds of the crime. The key suspect, Tochukwu Akolisa, is already in custody.
However, the group asked Nigerians to ignore the new CP’s assertion, maintaining that part of OAYF members were in the entourage while the gang leader, Kelvin Ikechukwu Ossai, aka Ikem, took everyone to the scene where they murdered our brother, late Hon. Justice Azuka.
If the suspect, Kelvin Ikechukwu Ossai, was not the leading gang member:
1. How would he know the location at which Azuka’s remains were found?
2. How again would he know the buyer of every vehicle snatched from innocent citizens at gunpoint?
OAYF asked the new CP to answer these questions as such misinformation is aimed at deceiving the entire Onitsha populace and the whole Ndi Anambra.
The group stated that the escapee suspects Kevin Ikechukwu Ossai and Chinedu Okoli aka Ocha were the two notorious kidnappers who killed their son and dumped his lifeless body at the Second Niger Bridge Obosi in Idemili North LGA, Anambra State, after he was kidnapped on December 24th along Ugwunabankpa Road when he was celebrating Christmas with some of his relatives.
