The Anambra State Police Command has initiated a comprehensive operational plan to recapture two suspects involved in the murder of late Hon. Justice Azuka, a member of the Anambra State House of Assembly.
The suspects escaped from police custody, prompting an immediate response from law enforcement authorities.
The command’s Public Relations Officer, SP Tochukwu Ikenga, confirmed the incident in a statement issued on Tuesday in Onitsha. He revealed that the Commissioner of Police, CP Ikioye Orutugu, has ordered disciplinary action against officers responsible for the lapse in security that led to the escape.
According to Ikenga, CP Orutugu acted swiftly upon receiving the report on February 18 about the escape of the two suspects linked to the murder of Hon. Justice Azuka, who represented Onitsha 1 Constituency in the State House of Assembly.
“He has consequently deployed both human, operational, and intelligence assets of the Command for the re-arrest of the suspects and directed immediate disciplinary action against the officers found wanting in this regard,” Ikenga stated.
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The police spokesperson explained that preliminary investigations revealed the escape occurred during an operation to arrest a receiver and recover vehicles used by the criminal gang. “Following the confession of the criminal gang, two of the suspects assisting the Police Investigating Officers in an operation to arrest the receiver and recover the operational vehicles that the gang used in their deadly activities, escaped,” he said.
Ikenga noted that during the operation, the suspected receiver was apprehended, and two vehicles believed to have been stolen from unsuspecting members of the public were recovered. However, the two suspects managed to flee the scene.
The police assured the public that the Command remains committed to combating crime in the state. “The Command is on the offensive against every criminal element in the state, and efforts are in top gear to ensure that the suspects are re-arrested and justice served,” Ikenga emphasized.
He added that the officers responsible for the security breach would face disciplinary action if found culpable. The Anambra Police Command has vowed to intensify efforts to bring the escaped suspects to justice and ensure the safety of residents.