The security situation in Anambra State has suffered a significant setback as two suspects involved in the abduction and murder of Justice Azuka, a lawmaker representing Onitsha North 1 in the State House of Assembly, have escaped from police custody.
According to the Anambra State Police Command, the suspects managed to flee while assisting officers in an operation aimed at apprehending a receiver of stolen vehicles linked to the crime.
The police successfully arrested the receiver and recovered two stolen vehicles. However, the suspects reportedly took advantage of the situation to escape.
Justice Azuka was kidnapped on December 24, 2024, while returning home for Christmas. His decomposing body was discovered on February 6, 2025, near the Second Niger Bridge. Following investigations, security operatives arrested nine individuals allegedly connected to the crime.
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Eyewitness reports suggest that the escape happened when two officers, who were escorting the suspects, left the vehicle to arrest the receiver. At that moment, one of the suspects, Kevin Ikechukwu Ossai, also known as “Ikem,” and another accomplice nicknamed “Ocha,” managed to flee in the getaway vehicle.
In response, the Commissioner of Police, Ikioye Orutugu, has launched an intense manhunt for the fugitives. He also ordered an internal investigation into the circumstances surrounding the escape, with potential disciplinary measures against the officers involved.
Community leaders in Onitsha North have called for transparency, demanding that the police provide clear evidence of whether the suspects were truly neutralized or if they indeed escaped. Some fear that the escape could lead to a revenge mission by the gang against security operatives.
The police have urged members of the public with relevant information to come forward to aid in recapturing the escaped suspects. Meanwhile, security measures have been heightened across the state to prevent further criminal activities.
