A chilling wave of concern has gripped the community of Onitsha, Anambra State, after Hon. Justice Azuka, a member of the State House of Assembly, was kidnapped on his way home. The abduction occurred on Tuesday night at Ugwunaobankpa road, Inland Town Onitsha.
Eyewitnesses describe the incident as a swift and brazen operation, with the gunmen doubling crossing the lawmaker at gunpoint before whisking him away. The entire ordeal lasted less than five minutes.
“He was a very peaceful and quiet person who didn’t make trouble,” said a resident, Okwuchukwu Odili. “He related freely with his constituents, unlike others who disappeared after their election.”
As the search for Hon. Azuka continues, his family, friends, and constituents remain in a state of anxiety, with no contact from the abductors. “Since the lawmaker’s abduction, his whereabouts have remained unknown, and his abductors have not made any contact with members of his immediate family, relatives, or friends,” said a close associate who pleaded anonymity.
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The Anambra State Police Command has confirmed the incident and assured that efforts are underway to rescue the lawmaker. “Anambra Police Command has activated operational plans for the possible rescue and arrest of the kidnappers of Mr. Justice Azuka,” said Superintendent of Police Tochukwu Ikenga, spokesman for the Command.
According to Ikenga, “The report of the sad event revealed that on 24/12/2024 by 9:20 pm, while returning home at Ugwunaobamkpa road, he was abducted by yet unidentified persons. The Command is already working on some clues for possible rescue and arrest of the kidnappers.”
The community remains hopeful for the safe return of Hon. Azuka, and the police continue to work tirelessly to bring the kidnappers to justice.