Police Rearrest Suspect Linked To Anambra Lawmaker’s Murder

Police authorities in Anambra have successfully rearrested one of the fleeing suspects allegedly involved in the kidnapping and gruesome murder of the late Justice Azuka.

Azuka was a lawmaker representing Onitsha 1 Constituency in the Anambra State House of Assembly. He was reportedly kidnapped by gunmen on Dec. 24, 2024, while returning home at Ugwunapampa Road, Inland Town, Onitsha.

However, the Police and other sister security agencies later recovered his lifeless body on the Second Niger Bridge on February 6.

READ ALSO: Kidnapped Anambra Lawmaker Justice Azuka Found Dead

In a statement on Tuesday in Onitsha, the spokesman of Anambra State Police Command, Tochukwu Ikenga, confirmed the suspect’s rearrest.

Ikenga said he was arrested on May 7 following a painstaking and intelligence-led operation, after he was tracked across multiple states in Nigeria and neighbouring countries.

“The Anambra State Police Command wishes to inform the public that its operatives have successfully rearrested one Ikemefuna Ossai, a suspect in the kidnapping and gruesome murder of the late Justice Azuka, the distinguished Member representing Onitsha 1 Constituency in the Anambra State House of Assembly,” the statement read.

“This rearrest followed a painstaking and intelligence-led operation. 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 May 7, 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 the 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.

“During the engagement, the Commissioner of Police acknowledged and expressed regret over the operational lapses that led to the suspect’s earlier escape.

“Further to this development, actionable intelligence obtained from the suspect is currently aiding ongoing operations. The Command has intensified efforts to apprehend the remaining fugitive and dismantle the criminal network responsible for this heinous crime.

“The Anambra State Police Command reiterates its unwavering resolve to bring all perpetrators to justice and ensure the safety and security of Ndi Anambra,” the statement read.