Awka, Anambra state – Justice Azuka, the lawmaker representing Onitsha North state constituency in the Anambra House of Assembly, who was kidnapped in late 2024, has been discovered dead.
As reported by Leadership newspaper on Thursday, February 6, 2025, Azuka was found dead on the popular 2nd Niger bridge.
Justice Azuka dead
Channels Television also noted the unfortunate update.
It would be recalled the Labour Party (LP) chieftain was kidnapped on Christmas Eve in 2024 at about 9 pm at Ugwunakpamkpa, Inland town, Onitsha, while he was returning home for the Christmas celebration. Subsequently, he was declared missing. However, the vehicle in which he was kidnapped was reportedly later recovered around Upper Iweka area of Onitsha.
No group has claimed responsibility for the suspected murder, but the proscribed Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) and its armed wings have been accused of masterminding kidnappings and killings in the southeast over the past few years – an accusation IPOB has repeatedly denied.
The mindless killings in the southeast are another layer of insecurity in Nigeria, where kidnappings for ransom are common in the northwest. Armed groups like Boko Haram and the Islamic State’s West Africa Province (ISWAP) are also active in the northeast of the country.
Justice Azuka’s death: Police speak
When contacted, Tochukwu Ikenga, the spokesperson of the police in Anambra state, confirmed the development.
Ikenga said:
“Our men are recovering the corpse now. And I think they should be on their way now bringing the corpse here (state police headquarters, Amawbia).
“We will break the news as soon as the corpse arrives here.”
