By Uche Onyeali
Missing member of the Anambra State House of Assembly, Justice Azuka has been found dead.
AljazirahNigeria learnt yesterday that the decomposing body of the lawmaker was found at the 2nd Niger Bridge by a combined security team.
Confirming the development in a statement, the Police Public Relations Officer, PPRO, SP Tochukwu Ikenga said the police would provide more details later.
“Our operatives are currently at the scene. As soon as I get more details, I will keep you updated,” the PPRO said.
Azuka, who represented Onitsha 1 North Constituency in the Anambra State House of Assembly, was kidnapped by unknown gunmen on December 24, 2024.
Azuka was kidnapped at about 9pm on Christmas Eve in Ugwunakpamkpa area of Onitsha while returning home after the day’s activities.
His decomposing body was recovered somewhere at the 2nd Niger Bridge on Wednesday, February 5.
Meanwhile, Labour Party Caucus of the House of Representatives has expressed deep sadness over the news of the lawmaker’s death, after a prolonged period of captivity in the hands of kidnappers.
The Caucus Leader and member representing Ogbaru Federal Constituency, Afam Ogene, in a statement, described the incident as “horrendous, heart-rending and a big blow to Labour Party and the legislature.”
It would be recalled that Ogene had earlier called on Governor Chukwuma Soludo to take urgent and decisive action to secure the release of the abducted lawmaker and also address the growing insecurity in the state, which he said had become notorious for kidnappings and killings.
The lawmakers expressed heartfelt condolences to the family of the late lawmaker, especially his young wife and children, who have been thrown into deep sorrow as a result of this dastardly act by criminals.
“How do you explain this act of wickedness? How do you comfort Azuka’s young wife that her husband would no longer return home? What do you tell the children when they grow up? This is very sad. It is condemnable and government has to truly take more decisive action to prevent this kind of destruction of life and the future of many by individuals who are currently laying siege on the people of Anambra State.
“As I said in my earlier statement on the kidnap of the late lawmaker, the level of carnage going on in Anambra on a daily basis is heart-rending.
“People live in fear as a result of the growing insecurity. The rate of bloodletting, kidnappings and other violent crimes is fast turning the state into a killing field. And this is not an exaggeration. The crime that is reported is just a tiny fraction of the horrendous insecurity in Anambra. That is the brutal truth.
“The horrific experiences of survivors underscore the dire need for improved security in the state. Government’s primary responsibility is to ensure the safety and well-being of citizens, as well as protect their property. It is imperative that government takes decisive action to reclaim control from criminal gangs and restore confidence among the people.
“Today, it is Azuka, but no one knows whose turn it will be tomorrow. While we commend Governor Soludo’s recent efforts to tackle the situation through the launch of Agunachemba security outfit, certainly, more needs to be done, especially in the area of deploying technology in the fight against criminals in the state,” Ogene said.
