Two suspects linked to the murder of Anambra State lawmaker, Justice Azuka, have escaped from police custody, triggering an urgent manhunt by security operatives.
Confirming the incident in a statement on Tuesday night, Anambra State Police spokesperson, SP Tochukwu Ikenga, revealed that the suspects fled while assisting officers with an investigation aimed at apprehending an alleged receiver of stolen vehicles used by the criminal gang.
The police had earlier arrested nine individuals in connection with the abduction and subsequent murder of the lawmaker, whose decomposing body was discovered on 6 February 2025 at the Second Niger Bridge in Onitsha. Azuka had been kidnapped by gunmen on Christmas Eve, 24 December 2024.
According to Ikenga, during an operation to track down the receiver, the police successfully apprehended the suspect and recovered two stolen vehicles. However, in the course of the raid, the two detainees managed to escape from custody.
Following the escape, the Commissioner of Police in Anambra State, CP Ikioye Orutugu, has ordered an immediate deployment of intelligence and operational teams to recapture the fugitives.
He further directed disciplinary action against officers found negligent in handling the suspects, vowing that those responsible for the lapse will face severe consequences.
Security forces remain on high alert as efforts intensify to ensure the re-arrest of the escapees and the swift prosecution of all those involved in the murder of the lawmaker.
