The Anambra State Police Command has confirmed the arrest of nine suspects linked to the shocking abduction and gruesome murder of Hon. Justice Azuka, the lawmaker representing Onitsha North Constituency 1 in the Anambra State House of Assembly.
Azuka was kidnapped on December 24, 2024, in Onitsha, sparking outrage and intense security operations. However, in a tragic turn of events, his decomposing body was discovered on February 6, 2025, at the 2nd Niger Bridge by a joint security task force comprising the police and Anambra Vigilante Group (AVG).
Confirming the breakthrough in the case, the Commissioner of Police, CP Nnaghe Obono Itam, disclosed during a press briefing in Awka that nine suspects had been apprehended following an intelligence-driven operation.
The Arrest and Deadly Encounter
CP Itam revealed that the joint security operatives, acting on credible intelligence, raided the hideout of the assailants, leading to the arrest of:
Ugochukwu Onuorah (30)
Ikemefuna Ossai (20)
Ikenna Orugu (27)
Chibuike Obiefuna (19)
Chinonso Olisa (19)
Chinedu Okoli (21)
David Ojini (25)
Peter Sunday (20), identified as the most notorious of the group, with a conspicuous tattoo reading “No Peace 4 the Government” across his chest.
According to the CP, one of the suspects sustained a gunshot injury in a fierce shootout with police operatives. The raid also led to the recovery of two pump-action rifles used in their criminal operations.
In a related development, the police also apprehended Chidiebere Nwosu, a notorious kidnapper in Uruagu, Nnewi, responsible for multiple high-profile abductions and attacks on security operatives. His gang had previously ambushed police personnel attached to the Rapid Response Squad (RRS) on October 3, 2024. Several of his accomplices were neutralized during the operation.
CP Itam further highlighted the command’s recent victories against criminal elements in Anambra State. He disclosed that security forces had eliminated over 100 notorious criminals and demolished multiple criminal hideouts across strategic locations, including Ufuma, Eziowelle, Achalla, and Ogbaru.
The arrest of Azuka’s killers and the broader security crackdown sends a strong warning to criminal elements terrorizing Anambra State. The police have reaffirmed their commitment to restoring peace and ensuring that no crime goes unpunished.
With the suspects in custody, justice inches closer for the slain lawmaker, and the people of Anambra can breathe a sigh of relief, knowing that the long arm of the law is catching up with those who thrive on bloodshed and violence.
PIONEER NEWS 