Gunmen have kidnapped a member of the House of Assembly in Anambra. The legislator, Justice Azuka, was reported to have been kidnapped Tuesday evening in Onitsha North Local Government Area, Anambra State, along Ugwunapampa Road.
According to sources, Mr. Azuka, the state assembly representative for Onitsha North Constituency I, was attacked by the thugs while he was making his way home for Christmas.
Tochukwu Ikenga, the Anambra State police spokesperson, confirmed the development in a statement sent to reporters on Wednesday night.
At approximately 9:20 p.m. on Tuesday, the legislator was kidnapped by the gunmen, according to Superintendent of Police Mr. Ikenga.
Police in the state have “activated operational plans for the possible rescue and arrest of the kidnappers of the lawmaker,” according to the spokesperson.
Anambra has seen a rise in gunman attacks in recent years, similar to other Southeast states.
Armed individuals terrorising the state had carried out some lethal attacks against lawmakers and former members of the state assembly.
In the Anambra House of Assembly, for example, Okechukwu Okoye, a politician from the Aguata 2 Constituency, was kidnapped and subsequently decapitated by gunmen on May 21, 2022.
Mr. Okoye and his assistant, Cyril Chiegboka, were killed six days after they were kidnapped along Aguluzigbo Road in the state’s Anaocha Local Government Area.
Gunmen once more kidnapped Uzozie Chukwujekwu, a special adviser to a former Nnewi South Council Area Chairperson, and shot his only son a few hours after Mr Okoye’s beheading became public.
Two former Anambra House of Assembly members were kidnapped and then murdered in separate assaults within the same year.
In addition to politicians, attacks have recently targeted government employees, security personnel, and even religious.
The state said that Godwin Okpala, the former archbishop of the Anglican Diocese of Nnewi, and his driver went missing earlier this month.
At the time of this report, the driver and Mr Okpala had not yet been seen.
Some of the fatal attacks in the area have been attributed by the Nigerian government to the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB). The gang, however, has denied their connection on numerous occasions.
IPOB is spearheading the movement to create an independent Biafra state, which it hopes would be separated from areas of South-South and Southeast Nigeria.
Charles Soludo, the governor of Anambra State, has announced an amnesty for criminals and kidnappers in the state for the third time since taking office in an attempt to combat the state’s deteriorating insecurity.
