THE family of Princess Nwamaka Mediatrix Chigbo, an Abuja-based lawyer brutally killed by suspected kidnappers in the Federal Capital Territory, has recounted its last moments with the deceased.
In a publication by Realnews Magazine, the family explained that the young lawyer was abducted on Monday, January 5, after she went missing while on a phone call with her younger sister, Anthonia.
“Before her abduction, Barrister Nwamaka was on the phone with her sister Anthonia, who briefly interrupted the call to attend to a client. When she reverted, the barrister’s phone was still live, and Anthonia could hear her sister’s distress cry before the phone suddenly went dead and unreachable. Anthonia alerted her elder sister, Maureen Chigbo, and other family members, who called the lawyer’s number repeatedly to reach her or her abductors to no avail,” the family said.
It noted that when a call eventually went through, a male voice, speaking in English and Hausa, allegedly rained curses: “Thunder fire you there, send three million naira or else we will kill her,” the man said before terminating the call.
“Barrister Nwamaka’s family later tried to contact the Police Force Public Relations Officer and left a text message on her phone. They were referred to two police complaint numbers. The family equally sent a distress text and WhatsApp message to the Inspector General of Police (IGP), and also contacted the FCT Police Commissioner, who immediately linked them up to the Commander of the Scorpion Squad, in charge of kidnapping in Abuja.
“The commander later called to inform the family that the police were tracking the kidnappers, who were said to be in motion and would likely drop the lawyer off once they might have collected the ransom,’ it added.
The family explained that the abductors never made further demands. When the family attempted to call back for details on payment, the abductors reportedly heard Chigbo screaming in pain, pleading, “I am dying… save me, please send the money,” before the line went permanently silent.
The family maintained contact with the Police Commander throughout Monday night to follow up on the rescue operation.
At 4 am on Tuesday, January 6, when Maureen called the Commander, he expressed surprise that the lawyer had not called or returned home. He then promised to escalate the rescue operation.
“The commander later called to inform the family that ‘a lady had been found in a critical condition’ and taken to an Abuja specialist hospital. He requested that Nwamaka’s picture be sent for identification purposes. The family said it maintained contact with the police throughout the night. At about 4 a.m. on Tuesday, January 6, the commander expressed surprise that the lawyer had not been released and said the operation would be escalated.
“Hours later, police informed the family that a woman had been found in critical condition and taken to a specialist hospital in Abuja. Chigbo’s photograph was requested for identification. Her elder sister, Maureen Chigbo, who flew from Lagos to Abuja, later identified her sister’s body at the hospital mortuary,” it added.
The family said the police assured that the case was under investigation and that the culprits would be apprehended.
Nwamaka was an active member and former treasurer of the Nigerian Bar Association, Abuja, member of the International Federation of Women Lawyers, (IFWL), FIDA and Global Association of Female Lawyers (GAFA). She was a former President of Catholic Lawyers Association, Abuja.
An ardent Catholic, Nwamaka authored a book on Infant Jesus, and until death was the vice president of the Infant Jesus Association, member of the Mother of Perpetual Help Catholic Group among other religious groups.
Her story adds to the list of victims of attacks like one chance and kidnapping in the FCT.
The ICIR reported on Monday that two women were found dead in separate locations in the FCT in incidents suspected to be linked to the activities of notorious one chance criminal gangs operating within Nigeria’s capital.
One of the victims, Chinemerem Pascalina Chuwumeziem, was a nurse with the Federal Medical Centre (FMC), Jabi, whose killing subsequently drew condemnation from the National Association of Nigerian Nurses and Midwives (NANNM), FCT Council.
The second victim, lawyer Ochigbo, was found lying lifeless by the roadside.
These new year attacks echo the multiple cases of insecurity in Nigeria’s capital, published by The ICIR.
Nanji is an investigative journalist with the ICIR. She has years of experience in reporting and broadcasting human angle stories, gender inequalities, minority stories, and human rights issues. She has documented sexual war crimes in armed conflict, sex for grades in Nigerian Universities, harmful traditional practices and human trafficking.