Azuka
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The suspects, when paraded on Friday at the headquarters of the Anambra State Police Command, narrated that the deceased lawmaker was kidnapped on December 24, 2024 and they killed him shortly after the same night.
Admitting to initially demanding N20 million as ransom to free the slain lawmaker, they, however, denied collecting any money before killing him.
One of the nine suspects, a 30-year-old Ugochukwu, an indigene of Abia State, confessed that they beat the lawmaker to death, but his other gang members accused Ugochuwhu of shooting the late lawmaker.
The outgoing Commissioner of Police in the state, CP Nnaghe Itam told newsmen that a joint security team made up the Command’s Rapid Response Squad (RRS), the anti-kidnapping squad and Anambra State Vigilant Group (AVG) stormed the hideout of the kidnappers to arrest them.
He added that some firearms were also recovered from the suspected criminals during the operation.
Itam added that the joint security team also recovered the decomposing body of Hon. Azuka in a bush somewhere around the Second Niger Bridge in the early hours of Thursday.
He, however said that the result of autopsy on the deceased lawmaker would confirm the actual cause of his death.
The CP identified one Ugo Ekenewo, a resident of Idemili as the brain behind the abduction, saying the motive was to extort money from the victim.
Meanwhile, a source revealed that the kidnappers who killed Hon. Justice Azuka collected N100 million from his account before murdering him on December 26, 2024.
They shot him twice in the head on the same day. A nurse based in Asaba assisted them in withdrawing the N100 million, while a native doctor, also residing in Asaba, prepared charms for the gang.
Their leader, known as the kingpin, was found living with the native doctor inside his shrine in Asaba. All six members of the gang have been arrested, and none of them is above 30 years old.
The nurse has also been taken into custody, and her pharmacy shop has been sealed. Similarly, the native doctor has been arrested. While most of the suspects live in Asaba, one resides in Oba.
During the operation, over three dead bodies were discovered alongside Hon. Justice Azuka’s remains. The suspects admitted that they routinely kill all their victims, ensuring that once they collect money, they eliminate the person.
