Labour Party Caucus Urges Action on Abducted Anambra Lawmaker

The Labour Party (LP) Caucus in the House of Representatives has voiced serious concerns regarding the prolonged captivity of Hon. Justice Azuka, a member of the Anambra State House of Assembly representing Onitsha North. Azuka was abducted on Christmas Eve, December 24, 2024, around 9 PM in the Ugwunakpamkpa area of Onitsha while heading home for the holidays.

Hon. Victor Afam Ogene, the LP Caucus leader and representative for Ogbaru federal constituency, issued a statement highlighting the “alarming and disheartening” silence and apparent inaction by the Anambra state government concerning Azuka’s kidnapping. He urged Governor Chukwuma Soludo to take immediate and effective steps not only to secure Azuka’s release but also to tackle the escalating insecurity in Anambra, which he described as having become “notorious for kidnappings and killings.”

Ogene criticized the state’s current status, stating, “It’s time to bring sanity back to Anambra State, which has disturbingly become an open and ungoverned crime enclave.” He expressed particular dismay at the silence from Azuka’s fellow lawmakers, suggesting they should be actively confronting the state government for the rescue of their colleague.

Azuka’s abduction came shortly after he regained his legislative seat following a tribunal decision that overturned the initial victory of Hon. Douglas Egbuna from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the 2023 state assembly elections.

Ogene painted a grim picture of the security situation in Anambra, noting, “The level of carnage going on in Anambra on a daily basis is heart-rending. People live in fear as a result of the growing insecurity.” He emphasized that the reported crimes are merely a small part of the broader, more severe security issues plaguing the state, describing the situation as turning Anambra into a “killing field.”

He further stressed the necessity for the government to act decisively to protect its citizens and their properties, highlighting the government’s primary responsibility in this area. While acknowledging recent security initiatives like “Operation Udo ga chi” and the “Agunachemba security outfit,” Ogene questioned the delay in addressing the issue seriously, which he claims took over two years.

Concluding his statement, Ogene insisted that the government must prioritize the security of lives and property, underscoring this as fundamental to its role in governance. His remarks underline a call for urgent governmental action to alleviate the ongoing “daily horror” experienced by the people of Anambra due to insecurity.