The Anambra Commissioner of Police has assured the public that further updates will be provided as the rescue operation progresses.
Awka, Nigeria – The Anambra State Police Command has announced the recovery of the vehicle belonging to Justice Azuka, a member of the State House of Assembly representing Onitsha North Constituency, who was abducted on Tuesday night by unknown gunmen.
The incident occurred at Ugwunapampa Road, Inland Town, Onitsha, as the lawmaker was returning home for the Christmas holiday.
In a press statement issued on Thursday, the state police spokesman, SP Tochukwu Ikenga, confirmed the recovery of the vehicle by operatives attached to the Inland Town Division during an ongoing rescue operation. The vehicle was reportedly abandoned and found along Upper Iweka Road, Onitsha.
Ikenga stated, “Following an intense ongoing operation, police operatives attached to the Inland Town Division have recovered the vehicle of Mr. Justice Azuka, House of Assembly member representing Onitsha North Constituency, who was kidnapped on December 24, 2024, at about 9:20 pm by yet unidentified persons. The rescue team sighted the abandoned vehicle at Upper Iweka Road. Meanwhile, the Commissioner of Police, CP Nnaghe Obono Itam, has charged the deployed rescue team to intensify efforts for the possible rescue of the House member.”
Despite the vehicle’s recovery, the lawmaker’s whereabouts remain unknown, and the abductors have yet to contact his family.
The abduction has sparked anxiety among residents of Onitsha, with many questioning the effectiveness of security measures in the area. Eyewitnesses reported that the assailants trailed Justice Azuka’s vehicle before intercepting it.
Somto, a witness at the scene, recounted, “The gunmen whisked the man away in their vehicle after trailing his jeep to that point. They double-crossed his vehicle, after which one of them also drove away in the victim’s car.”
Residents expressed frustration over the presence of numerous security checkpoints in the area, which they believe have failed to deter such criminal activities.
“These kidnappings, despite the many security checkpoints in that area, are becoming very worrisome. Are the checkpoints just there for extortion and intimidation of innocent road users? This is a question the security operatives should answer,” Somto added.
The Commissioner of Police has assured the public that further updates will be provided as the rescue operation progresses.
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