Lifeless body of kidnapped Anambra lawmaker found under bridge

A combined security team has discovered the decomposing body of Hon. Justice Azuka, a member of the Anambra State House of Assembly, near the 2nd Niger Bridge.

Azuka, who represented the Onitsha 1 North Constituency, was abducted by gunmen on Tuesday, December 24, 2024. He was taken while traveling home along Ugwunaobankpa Road in Inland Town, Onitsha.

The abducted lawmaker, a prominent member of the Labour Party (LP), had recently regained his seat after a court ruling overturned the previous election results, which had declared Hon. Douglas Egbuna of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) as the winner.

READ ALSO: Police intensify search for Anambra lawmaker, recover vehicle

Azuka’s kidnapping took place in a swift operation that lasted under five minutes on Ugwunaobankpa Road.

According to a security source, “We have arrested the individuals responsible for his kidnapping and murder. They were apprehended late last night and led authorities to the location where they had abandoned his body.”

The source expressed sadness over the tragic loss, offering condolences to Azuka’s family, the Obi of Onitsha, Dr. Alfred Achebe, and the people of Onitsha North Constituency 1. “What a huge loss. May his soul rest in peace.”

This incident underscores the persistent security challenges in Anambra State, with a sitting lawmaker being kidnapped in the heart of Onitsha. The source also reported another recent kidnapping attempt along Awka Road in central Onitsha, where gunmen fired several shots during the ordeal.

Efforts to reach SP Tochukwu Ikenga, the spokesman for the Anambra State Police Command, were unsuccessful. He had requested that the reporter send a message with inquiries, but no response had been received at the time of publication.

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