Anambra Lawmaker’s Murder: How Suspects Escaped In Cars They Drove – CP

By Suleiman Anyalewechi

The Anambra State Police Command, on Friday, February 21, disclosed that the two suspects involved in the killing of Anambra State Lawmaker, Hon. Justice Azuka, were neither in handcuffs nor leg chains when they escaped.

Instead, he disclosed to the shock of not a few, that to lure their accomplice out, the suspects were allowed to drive a car, on their own,  to give the impression that they brought another stolen car. Apparently with no Policemen in the car with them, they sped off as soon as they arrived their destination, and disappeared till date. Two weeks after, nobody has seen them.

However, the Police assured that there is no need to press the panic  buttons over the  escape of the two  suspects because they are not the prime suspects.

The new Police  Commissioner, CP Ikioye Orutugu, noted that the unfortunate development pre-dated his assumption of office.

The State Police Command’s  latest reaction is coming on the heels of the continued public criticisms that have been trailing the escape from custody of two suspects in the kidnap and subsequent murder of the Labour Party LP Lawmaker.

Since announcing the escape of the suspects on Tuesday February 18, the police has been facing mounting condemnation from all quarters ,with not a few suggesting a possible underhand dealings from within the police hierarchy .

But at a media briefing on Friday, CP Orutugu noted that the escapees are not principal suspects in the gruesome murder.

According to him, the two suspects, now at large are secondary suspects who, unfortunately, escaped while leading operatives to some receivers of items from the main hoodlums .

Similarly, the CP explained that the two suspects had already escaped before he was posted to the state.

According to him, contrary to public perceptions that the suspects escaped while in custody, CP Orutugu noted that they escaped while  leading operatives to arrest receivers of stolen items.

” When I took over as the Commissioner, I said I am here to give insight into the recent case of the escape of two suspects arrested in connection with the killing of a Lawmaker.

“The incident happened two days before I assumed office .By this, I mean that the incident had occurred before I arrived.

“A lot of information has been out there, and people have had their opinions ,and there is nothing wrong with that as this is a democracy.

“However, there is a need to keep facts straight. My findings have shown that the incident happened on February 8, 2025 in Obosi .

The two suspects Ikemefuna Ossai, and Chinedu Okoli, are among 11 suspects who confessed and already paraded.

“The two are not the principal suspects. They are drivers that drove vehicles for the suspects, and that is not to say they have a right to escape.

“The Principal suspects are intact. The two were taken out for further arrests. A suspect, Tochukwu Okolisa, from Anambra, was identified as the buyer of the jeep and belongings of the Lawmaker, so to lure him in, the suspects were allowed to drive, and also tell him they had another vehicle for sale.

“It was during the operation to arrest Tochukwu, that the suspects drove off, abandoned the vehicle and escaped into the bush”, CP Orutugu narrated.

The State Commissioner of Police, however, reaffirmed the commitment of the Command towards re-arresting the escaped suspects.