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By Chukwuma Umeorah
The Onitsha indigenous community has called on the Inspector General of Police (IGP), Kayode Egbetokun, to take over the investigation into the murder of Hon. Justice Azuka, who represented Onitsha North Constituency 1 at the Anambra State House of Assembly.
In an open letter addressed to the IGP and the Anambra State Governor, Prof. Chukwuma Soludo, the community expressed dissatisfaction with the handling of the case by the Anambra State Police Command, citing concerns about transparency, accountability, and the slow pace of the investigation.
The community raised questions over conflicting narratives from the police and the state government regarding the timeline of Azuka’s death, the withdrawal of N100 million from his bank account, and the reported escape of two suspects from police custody.
“In light of the unsatisfactory handling of this high-profile case, the Onitsha community is calling on the IGP, Kayode Egbetokun, to take over the investigation from the State Command. The people of Onitsha are deeply saddened by the loss of Justice Azuka under such horrific circumstances. We demand a transparent investigation that will bring the perpetrators to justice,” the council stated.
During a council meeting held by the indigenous community, it was recalled that Azuka was kidnapped on December 24, 2024, in Onitsha. Despite assurances from law enforcement agencies and the state government that they were “on top of the situation,” his decomposing body was discovered on February 6, 2025.
The community referenced a statement by the Public Relations Officer of the Anambra State Police Command, Tochukwu Ikenga, who had reported that the kidnappers withdrew N100 million from Azuka’s bank account before murdering him on December 26, 2024. However, at the funeral service held on February 15, 2025, Governor Soludo declared that no money had been withdrawn from the account as the government had frozen the account immediately after his abduction, a claim that contradicted the police’s earlier account.
The discrepancies prompted further questions from the community regarding the integrity of the investigation.
“If Hon. Azuka was murdered on December 26, 2024, his remains would have been far more decomposed by the time they were found on February 6, 2025.
Is it routine for the state government to freeze the bank accounts of kidnap victims, or was this a peculiar case?” the community queried.
They also questioned why the police withheld information about the suspects’ escape for 11 days before disclosing it on February 19. “Murder suspects would normally be handcuffed during an outside operation. It would have thus been impossible for them to elude their police guards in handcuffs. What went wrong?” the petition read.
Ike Akatakwuani of Onitsha and Chief of Staff of Ime Obi Onitsha, Chief Osita Anionwu, reaffirmed the community’s commitment to seeking justice.
“Onitsha will not relent in its demand for justice. We expect the highest level of professionalism and transparency in this investigation,” he said.
The community also urged the Anambra State Government to overhaul its security strategy, particularly in collaboration with local vigilante groups, to restore public confidence and curb rising criminal activities. They announced plans to review their internal security architecture to strengthen collaboration with security agencies.
“We owe it to Hon. Justice Azuka and every citizen to see that justice is served. Anything short of a transparent investigation will not be accepted,” added Anionwu.
