Shock -and some relief -enveloped Anambra State on Thursday, February 6, when the fate of missing member of Anambra State House of Assembly, Hon. Justice Azuka, finally came to light.
His decomposing body was recovered on Wednesday night, February 5.
The body was recovered by a combined security team at the Second Niger Bridge,Onitsha, the Anambra commercial nerve centre.
The lawmaker, who represented Onitsha 1 North constituency, had been declared missing since Tuesday, December 24 (Christmas Eve), 2024, when unidentified gunmen kidnapped him as he returned home on Ugwunaobankpa Road, Inland Town, Onitsha.
Elected on the platform of Labour Party (LP), Azuta fought a legal battle to regain his mandate after a court verdict removed the previously declared winner, Hon. Douglas Egbuna of Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
Kidnapped at gunpoint in a Gestapo-like manner, the incident kicked off a storm of controversy in the state and nationally too.
Security sources said they have arrested those who abducted the lawmaker, adding that the suspects consequently took security agents to where Azuka’s body was dumped.
“We have arrested the culprits that kidnapped and killed him. They were arrested very late last (Wednesday) night and they now went and showed the security men where they dumped the corpse,” per SaharaReporters.
The report further quoted the security men as saying: “It is sad and tragic. What a huge loss. May his gentle soul rest in perfect peace. Amen. Our condolences and heart-felt sympathy to his family, traditional ruler of Onitsha, Obi of Onitsha, Dr Alfred Achebe and the entire people of Onitsha North Constituency 1.”
Anambra State under Governor Chukwuma Soludo has not enjoyed tight security,with several recorded cases of kidnappings, killings,maiming and so on,sparking criticisms of the governor’s style of administration as well as comparisons with his predecessors.
Police spokesman in the state, Superintendent (SP) Tochukwu Ikenga, confirmed recovery of Hon. Azuka’s body.
