The Anambra State Police Command has announced the arrest of a notorious 26-year-old armed robbery suspect identified as Ugochukwu Uzor, who was involved in the abduction and killing of a member of the Anambra State House of Assembly, Hon. Azuka Justice.
The Public Relations Officer of the Command, SP Tochukwu Ikenga, in a statement issued on Wednesday, December 10, 2025, in Awka, the state capital, said the suspect was arrested by operatives of the Rapid Response Squad (RRS), Awkuzu, during a major offensive operation carried out in Ogbaru Local Government Area on December 8, 2025.
The police spokesperson said Uzor was arrested at Iyowa Odekpe in Ogbaru Local Government Area after a fierce confrontation with operatives, during which he sustained serious injuries.
He said a locally made Beretta pistol and 11 rounds of live ammunition were recovered from him at the scene.
Ikenga described Uzor as a “dangerous criminal with a long history of violent offenses.”
“Uzor, who is known for his violent criminal activities, was found to have a large tattoo on his body with the inscriptions ‘No Forgiveness’ + ‘No Mercy,’ a disturbing reminder of the hardened nature of his criminal mindset,” he stated.
Ikenga said that during interrogation, the suspect confessed to being the leader of several criminal gangs operating across Anambra State and neighbouring states.
He also admitted to his involvement in the abduction and subsequent murder of Hon. Azuka Justice on December 24, 2024.
“Upon interrogation, the suspect confessed to being the leader of several criminal gangs operating across Anambra and neighbouring states,” Ikenga stated.
“He also revealed his involvement in the abduction and subsequent murder of Hon. Azuka Justice, a distinguished member of the Anambra State House of Assembly, on December 24, 2024.”
On Tuesday, December 24, 2024, gunmen abducted Azuka, the representative of Onitsha 1 North Constituency in the Anambra State House of Assembly.
Azuka was reportedly kidnapped while returning home on Ugwunaobankpa Road in Inland Town, Onitsha.
The abducted lawmaker, a chieftain of the Labour Party (LP), had regained his mandate after a court ruling ousted the previous winner, Hon. Douglas Egbuna of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), who was initially declared the winner of the 2023 election.
Azuka was reportedly kidnapped at gunpoint in a swift operation that lasted less than five minutes on Ugwunaobankpa Road.
In February 2025, a combined security team found the decomposing body of the lawmaker at the 2nd Niger Bridge.
His killing was widely condemned and described as a brutal attack on democracy and the rule of law, particularly coming at a time of heightened insecurity in the state.
The death of the lawmaker led to renewed calls for tougher security measures, as well as a comprehensive crackdown on kidnapping and armed robbery syndicates operating in the state and beyond.
In his statement, the police spokesperson said the arrest of Uzor marks a significant breakthrough in ongoing efforts to combat violent crime and dismantle organized criminal syndicates operating within Anambra State.
He urged residents to remain vigilant and continue to support law enforcement agencies with timely and credible information that could aid crime prevention and investigation.
