Police Re-Arrest Escaped Kidnap Suspect Linked To M#rder Of Lawmaker, Justice Azuka

The Anambra State Police Command has rearrested Ikemefuna Ossai, a suspect linked to the kidnapping and brutal murder of the late Hon. Justice Azuka, who represented Onitsha 1 Constituency in the Anambra State House of Assembly.

The lawmaker was abducted by gunmen in Inland Town, Onitsha, on December 24, 2024.  A joint security team recovered his decomposed body at Second Niger Bridge in Onitsha on February 6, 2025, and arrested nine suspects in connection with the kidnap and m8rder.

The police later announced that two of the suspects escaped from custody.

In a statement released today, May 13, the spokesperson of the state police command, SP Tochukwu Ikenga, said the re-arrest of one of the fugitives came as a result of a painstaking and intelligence-led operation.

Ikenga mentioned that the suspect, who had previously escaped custody, was tracked across multiple states within Nigeria and even into a neighbouring West African country.

‘’He was eventually apprehended on 7th May 2025 in Asaba, Delta State. Upon sighting the operatives, the suspect attempted to escape arrest but was swiftly subdued and sustained a gunshot wound to the leg in the process'' Ikenga said

He added that actionable intelligence obtained from the suspect is currently aiding ongoing operations. He further added that the state Police Command, in its continued commitment to transparency and accountability, has briefed relevant stakeholders, including the family of the late lawmaker and the leadership of the Anambra State House of Assembly.

He said that during the engagement, the Commissioner of Police acknowledged and expressed regret over the operational lapses that led to the suspect's earlier escape. He added that the Command has intensified efforts to apprehend the remaining fugitives and dismantle the criminal network responsible for this heinous crime.