By Okafor Ofiebor/Port Harcourt
The remains of Justice Azunda, the abducted Protocol Officer to Emeka Woke, former Chief of Staff at Rivers Government House, were exhumed on Thursday at a forest which served as the hideout of his abductors in Elibrada community, Emohua local government area of the state.
Azunda was kidnapped while he was attending a meeting with his kinsmen in his Isiodu community. He was killed and buried in a shallow grave despite all appeals to his abductors to release him.
Police officers from the Divisional Police Office, Rumuji, Emohua Local Government Area worked in collaboration with members of the Emohua Vigilante Service, EMOVIS to exhume the body in the forest
Azunda was allegedly abducted by a gang led by a notorious kidnap kingpin, Onuigwe Nwodi, in Isiodu community three weeks ago.
However, Nwodi and three other members of his gang were killed during a gun battle with security personnel who trailed them to Ogoloma forest in Okrika local government area of the state last week.
A member of the gang who was arrested a few days ago told security operatives about the existence of the hideout, which was accessible from Elibrada, the hometown of the gang leader, Nwodi.
Also, Emohua local government Chairman, Dr Chidi Lloyd, the Police team and vigilante operatives trekked inside the forest for about three hours before getting to the shallow grave where Azunda was buried after he died in the custody of his abductors.
Llyod supervised the destruction of a criminal hideout situated in a riverbank between Elibrada in Emohua and Ogbodo in Isiokpo, headquarters of Ikwerre local government area during the exhumation exercise.
The local government chairman regretted that Azunda who was his personal friend was abducted by the gang led by the late Nwodi.
“Today is a very sad day for. The DPO and his men recovered the ATM card of the late Azunda. Nobody had the premonition that this will happen. He was just a lively young man. I want appeal to Emohua people to always cooperate and give useful information to the Police. Whoever sees something should say something,” he said.
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Photo Caption:
Photo credit: Emohua LGA Media
Photos of Dr Chidi Lloyd Chairman of Emohua local government Council area,a team of Policemen and members of Emohua Vigilante Service, EMOVIS,in bush to exhume the body of late Justice Azunda, the Protocol Officer to Emeka Woke,the former Chief of Staff to former Governor Nyesom Wike buried in a shallow grave.
