By PAMELA EBOH, Awka

Eight young men have been identified as suspected kidnappers and killers of Anambra lawmaker, Hon. Justice Azuka, a member of the Labour Party (LP), who was killed after his abduction on December 24, 2025.

Confirming their arrest yesterday evening, Friday, February 7, 2025, the State Commissioner of Police, Nnaghe Obono Itam, paraded the eight men who he said kidnapped and killed the lawmaker representing Onitsha North Constituency at the State House of Assembly.

The suspects who were paraded at the Command Headquarters in Amawbia, are as follwos: Ugochukwu Onuorah, aged 30; Ikemefuna Ossai, 20; Ikenna Orugu, 27; Chibuike Obiefuna, aged 19; Chinonso Olisa, aged 19; Chinedu Okoli, 21; David Ojini, 25; and Peter Sunday, a 20-year-old with a large tattoo inscription of ?No Peace 4 d Government? on his chest.

The CP disclosed that over 100 notorious criminals have been killed in the past nine months, adding that security operatives have successfully destroyed many criminal camps in Communities like Achalla, Eziowelle, Ufuma, Ogbaru, and several other locations in the state.

Itam said: ?Many of you are aware of the gruesome murder of Hon. Justice Azuka, the Honourable State House of Assembly member representing Onitsha North Constituency 1 in the Anambra State House of Assembly, who was abducted on December 24, 2024, in Onitsha.

?This serious incident motivated the command to go the extra mile in intelligence gathering and discreet investigation.

?In the early hours of February 6, 2025, at the second Niger Bridge, the joint security team comprising the Police and AVG operatives, on a mission to rescue the abducted Honourable State House of Assembly member representing Onitsha North, Hon. Azuka, regrettably found his lifeless body at the scene. May his soul rest in perfect peace.

?Given the above, on the same day, the command operatives, in a joint operation with Anambra State Vigilante operatives, acting on intelligence-led information, arrested nine suspects actively involved in this unfortunate incident and recovered two pump-action guns. One of the suspects sustained a gunshot injury in his leg during a gun duel with the police operatives.?

Meanwhile, one of the suspects, 30-year-old Ugochukwu Amadi who allegedly shot Azuka dead, denied pulling the trigger to kill him. He claimed that the late lawmaker was beaten to death by them after his family members failed to pay the ransom of N20 million.

His words: ?We did not collect any money from him. We asked for N20 million, but he did not give us.?

However, his co-suspects stated that Onuorah was the person who shot Azuka dead, despite their advice against it.