A member of the Anambra State House of Assembly representing Onitsha North Constituency, Justice Azuka, has been abducted by unidentified assailants.
The incident occurred on Tuesday night while the lawmaker was returning to his residence via Ugwunapampa Road in Inland Town, Onitsha, a major commercial hub in the state.
Azuka, a prominent figure in the Labour Party, had recently reclaimed his seat after a court ruling nullified the election of Douglas Egbuna of the Peoples Democratic Party, who was previously declared the winner of the 2023 election.
Reports indicated that the abductors took him to an undisclosed location, and his whereabouts remain unknown.
A close associate, speaking on condition of anonymity, revealed that the kidnappers have not yet made contact with Azuka’s family, leaving them in uncertainty and distress.
The incident has sparked shock and concern among residents, who are urging the authorities to tackle the rising insecurity in the area.
Confirming the abduction, the spokesperson for the Anambra State Police Command, SP Tochukwu Ikenga, assured that efforts to rescue Azuka are in progress.
“The Anambra Police Command has activated operational plans for the possible rescue and arrest of the kidnappers of Mr Justice Azuka, Honourable State House of Assembly member representing Onitsha North Constituency.
“The report of the sad event revealed that on 24/12/2024, at 9:20 pm, while returning home on Ugwunapampa Road, he was abducted by unidentified persons.
“The Command is already working on some clues for the possible rescue and arrest of the kidnappers. Further developments will be communicated,” Ikenga said.
This tragic development brings to mind the 2022 kidnapping of Mr. Okechukwu Okoye, a lawmaker representing Aguata Constituency 1, who was later found beheaded.
Okoye, who hailed from Isuofia, the hometown of Governor Chukwuma Soludo, became a symbol of the security challenges facing the state.
