Onitsha community, Acheb mourn as kidnapped lawmaker, Azuka, found dead

Onitsha, Anambra State – The Onitsha community was thrown into mourning on Thursday following the discovery of the body of Hon. Justice Azuka, the only son of his family and a member of the Anambra State House of Assembly. He represented the Onitsha North 1 Constituency before his tragic death.Hon. Azuka was kidnapped on December 24, 2024, near the Ugwunaobamkpa Police Post junction while returning home after distributing Christmas gifts to his constituents.

The abduction occurred while he was on his mission to deliver financial aid, food items, and other palliatives to those in need.

The news of his death has left the Onitsha community in shock, with mourners, particularly youths and women, gathering at his family house on Ugwunaobamkpa Road to mourn and demand justice. The community, led by the President General of Onitsha Improvement Union, Sir Chike Ekweogwu, and Secretary General, Mr. Melvin Mkpuluma, condemned the abduction and expressed outrage over the killing.

Sir Ekweogwu, in an exclusive statement to Vanguard, explained that the body was found after police, tracking the kidnappers through Hon. Azuka’s phone, were led to the location where the body had been discarded. “The news was broken this morning that he is dead, and we are now trying to bring back his body,” Sir Ekweogwu said, visibly shaken.

The community has reacted strongly to the kidnapping and murder, with many threatening an uprising against criminal elements if the attacks do not stop. “Enough is enough,” they declared, recalling the days of the “Boys Oyee” in the 1980s, a time when Onitsha’s criminal elements were rooted out.

Hon. Azuka’s generosity, which had led him to personally distribute aid to his constituents, is being mourned by his family and community. “He was a brilliant young man who used his salary to care for the needy, rather than relying on public funds for constituency assignments,” Sir Ekweogwu said.

The Onitsha community is now calling for the expulsion of kidnappers and criminals from the area, warning them that their activities will no longer be tolerated. “We demand that the criminals leave Onitsha, or face the consequences,” Sir Ekweogwu said. He also praised the efforts of the police in tracking down one of the culprits involved in the crime.

Hon. Azuka’s family, especially his elderly mother, his wife, and children, are devastated by the loss. His passing has left a profound impact on the community, with both young and old mourning the tragic end of a promising public servant.

At press time, efforts to reach the Anambra State Police Public Relations Officer, Tochukwu Ikenga, for further comment were unsuccessful.