From Ifeoma Ejiofor
Anambra State House of Assembly under the leadership of the Speaker, Rt Hon Somtochukwu Udeze and the Labour Party (LP) cause in the House have called on the police authorities to rearrest the escapee suspected killers of Hon Justice Azuka.
The Speaker and the LP caucus made this call in separate press statement made available to journalists on Wednesday.
Rt Hon Udeze said,”The attention of the Anambra State House of Assembly has been drawn to a press release by the State Police Public Relations Officer, SP Tochukwu Ikenga, announcing that two of the arrested suspects in the murder of late Hon. Justice Azuka of Onitsha One State Constituency escaped during an operation to apprehend the receiver and recover the operational vehicles used in their criminal activities.
“The State House of Assembly deeply regrets this unfortunate development, which casts a shadow over the otherwise commendable and professional manner in which the Police have been handling the investigation. The position of the State Legislature is clear: the fleeing suspects must be tracked and apprehended at all costs.
“I, therefore, call on the State Commissioner of Police to redouble his efforts and take all necessary measures to ensure that the escaped suspects are re-arrested and brought to justice. The State Police should immediately declare them wanted and publish their full names, addresses, and photographs to enlist public support in tracking them down. Hon. Justice will not die in vain.”
Also the LP caucus in Anambra State House of Assembly in their statement said, “Recall that Hon. Justice Azuka was abducted on 24th of December, 2024 at Ugwunabankpa in Onitsha North Local Government Area, Anambra State. After a strenuous search spanning over 46 days, the body of Hon Justice was recovered and his abductors and murderers were equally arrested by men of Agunaechemba and handed over to the police, specifically, the members of Police Rapid Response Squad (aka RRS).
“Everybody was waiting for justice to be served on his abductors and murderers. Interestingly, the Police Public Relations Officer issued a press release indicating that two of the suspects who murdered Hon Justice escaped in controversial circumstances.
“Part of the release was that in the course of the move to arrest the receiver of the vehicles that were robbed, two of the suspects escaped. We have reviewed the stories as told by the police and found it to be utterly disappointing and reprehensible and a clear sign that there is a cover up somewhere.
“Our suspicion that this could be a political assassination has been heightened by this development. This is coupled with the fact that the police did practically nothing in the part of efforts leading up to the arrest of these suspects.
“It may interest you to know that this alleged escape happened more than one week from the date of this press release, yet up till now the police has neither declared the suspects wanted nor made any effort in that regard apart from mere platitudinal press release.
“One would have expected that by now the pictures of the suspects, their full names, addresses, home towns and other details would have flooded the public arena and social media, so as to afford people the opportunity of identifying them and reporting to the security agents for their re-arrest.
“These not being done is a pointer to the fact that it could be an arranged escape. The police officers that handled the alleged arrest of the receiver of the stolen vehicles were not only unprofessional but culpable. Therefore, the labour party caucus of the Anambra State House of Assembly demands as follows:
“The immediate re-arrest of the fleeing suspects whom the police did not mention, but who had been found to be Kelvin Ikechukwu Ossai (aka Ikem) and another popularly known as Ocha.
“Thorough investigation, apprehension, and subsequent punishment of the officers who are culpable in the escape of the suspects. There should be a total overhaul of the RRS and other police formations who had been found wanting in the discharge of their duties in this perilous time.
“We demand justice for Hon. Justice Azuka, for justice shall not and ought not die in vain.”
The statement from the Labour Party Caucus was signed by Hon. Barr. Jude Ifeanyi Umennajiego, Hon. Mazi Paul Obu, Hon. Fred Ezenwa, Hon. Barr Pat Okafor, Hon. Tochukwu Udemezue, Hon. Nigeria Mbachu and Hon. Nkechi Ogbuefi