…Rights Group Commends Anambra CP
By Jude Atupulazi
In a major development in crime fighting, the Anambra State Police Command has announced the recapture of Mr Ikem Ossai, the escaped killer of the Anambra State House of Assembly member, Hon. Justice Azuka.
A press release signed by the Command’s imagemaker, SP Tochukwu Ikenga, and made available to Fides, said Ossai was re-arrested in Warri, Delta State, by a team of Police led by the former Officer in Charge of Anambra Special Ant-Robbery Squad (SARs), Mr. Ifeanyi Iburu, a Chief Superintendent of Police (CSP).
The statement read, ‘We want to praise the Commissioner of Police Anambra State, CP Ikioye Orutugu, and his team, for his commitment and zero tolerance against crime and criminality in the state.’
Reacting to this development, a human rights group, the Human Rights, Liberty Access, and Peace Defenders’ Foundation (HURIDE), commended what it described as the
professionalism exhibited by Iburu, re-arresting the notorious kidnapper and escapee.
In a statement signed by its Executive Director, Dede Uzor A Uzor, HURIDE said Uburu called him on Wednesday 7, May, at about 8.33pm, to break what he described as the good news.
Ossai and one of his comrades in crime, one Chinedu, were said to have escaped at Obosi, Idemili North Local Government Area of the State when some police officers took them to the place for the arrest of the receiver of the vehicles snatched during some of their kidnap operations, including Hon. Azuka’s.
Ossai, said to be a notorious criminal, was said to have been involved in different covert and several kidnapping operations, escaping from all of them.
He was said to have escaped at inland Town when three of his colleagues were ambushed by the Inland Town special Anti -Robbery Squad some months ago.
He also was said to have escaped from being lynched at Iyiowa, Odekpe, Ogbaru Local Government Area, when two of his kidnapping gang were burnt by some irate mob.
Few years ago, he equally escaped another risky criminal operation where some of his colleagues were burnt at Atani Road before former Power Mike Sports Centre, also in Ogbaru Local Government Area.
In spite of these escapes, Ossai continued to wreak havoc on society, maiming and killing people.
Ossai who hails from Aboh in Delta State, was said to have relocated to Ogbe-Ukwu in Ogbaru Local Government Area of Anambra State, with his family of five, from where he had been a terror to members of the public.
However, HURIDE, while appreciating the police, especially Iburu, insisted that efforts should be made to re-arrest Ossai’s accomplice, Chinedu; his personal driver who escaped with him during a police operation at Obosi in Idemili, Anambra State.
