By Victor Agusiobo
Quite recently, horrid tales emanating from the Anambra police are now pouring in torrents. This is obviously not a good time to envy the job of that state’s police public relations officer.
The crux of the matter is embedded in a brief but weighty question: who actually killed Justice Azuka, the Anambra House of Assembly member representing Onitsha North?
At a time of incessant killings in the State, why has Amen stuck in our throats when they say may the soul of Azuka rest in peace?
No doubt the events surrounding that death are as pathetic as they are befuddling. They conjure varied levels of suspicion, sleight of hand of possibly persons in high places, treachery and downright beastliness.
He was said to have been abducted at a busy street in Onitsha, huge sums were said to have been withdrawn from his account. He spent about 44 harrowing days in the hands of his captors only for his decomposing body to be found February 6.
If the stories and activities leading to his death were gory, the ones after his body was recovered were even more telling.
So far the logic of the street in a first line suspicion, fingers a possible targeted political killing.
As good sounding as that suspicion is, political killings don’t just happen. Whose ambition was Azuka blocking that couldn’t be resolved electorally save by killing him? Was he the custodian of information that was unsettling to persons in high places? Was it just a situation of kidnap gone sour?
Was he involved in land dispute? Was anybody privy to huge amounts being paid into his account?
Why would suspects already in police custody over the matter escape with such ease in a matter so prized and complex?
Is it possible that our imaginary fleeing suspects must have since been eliminated?
Is it possible that they recognized one or two members of the state’s enlarged security outfit as partakers in the crude abduction and ultimate killing of the lawmaker?
The questions are many. The police must spare us further nightmares around the death of this lawmaker. If the security agents have done their work well, all of us, emergency Sherlock Holmes and Perry Masons would have relaxed and watched a beautiful end to a sad and gory experience.
The rumour making the rounds that all other seven suspects in the matter have all died from gun shot related tetanus though denied by the police would have been the highest and most indelible vote of no confidence on the police.
Meanwhile the Onitsha community led by their traditional ruler, lgwe Alfred Achebe are not waiting to confirm this latest rumoured twist in the matter before declaring their lack of confidence in the State’s handling of the matter
They have therefore urged the Inspector General of Police to take over the matter.
Of a truth is the fact that the lawmaker’s abduction and killing like many before it have highlighted deficiencies in tracking, intelligence in security operations of the State.
As Anambra people watch with bated breath the ultimate outcome of investigations on the matter, Azuka’s has shown to be one death that has stubbornly refused to die. And may the state gather from his dust and memory the means of inspiration and better survival through a more proactive, intelligence based a d technology oriented policing.
