Suspected Kidnappers Allegedly Torture Abuja Lawyer to Death as Police Launch Investigation

An Abuja-based legal practitioner, Princess Nwamaka Mediatrix Chigbo, has reportedly been tortured to death by yet-to-be-identified kidnappers in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).
The tragic incident was confirmed in a statement issued by her elder sister, Maureen Chigbo, the immediate past President of the Guild of Corporate Online Publishers (GOCOP), who spoke on behalf of the family. According to the statement, the incident occurred on Monday, January 5, 2026.
Maureen Chigbo explained that shortly before her abduction, Barrister Nwamaka was on the phone with another sister, Anthonia. The call was briefly interrupted when Anthonia attended to a client.
“When she returned to the call, the phone was still connected, and she heard her sister’s cry of distress before the line suddenly went dead and became unreachable,” the statement said.
Anthonia immediately alerted Maureen and other family members, who repeatedly tried to reach the lawyer or her abductors through her phone without success.
“When a call eventually connected, a male voice hurled insults in both English and Hausa, demanding a ransom of three million naira and threatening to kill her if the money was not paid,” Maureen stated.
The kidnappers reportedly provided no further details and abruptly ended subsequent calls.
The family said they contacted the Police Force Public Relations Officer and left a text message, after which they were referred to two police complaint numbers. They also sent distress messages via text and WhatsApp to the Inspector General of Police (IGP) and reached out to the FCT Commissioner of Police, who promptly linked them to the Commander of the Scorpion Squad, the unit responsible for kidnapping cases in Abuja.
According to the statement, the Commander later informed the family that police operatives were tracking the kidnappers, who were believed to be in transit and might release the lawyer after collecting the ransom.
It was further disclosed that the kidnappers never initiated contact. Whenever family members tried to reach them through Nwamaka’s phone to seek clarification on ransom payment, they only heard her screaming in pain, pleading: “I am dying… save me, please send the money, I am dying.”
Shortly after this, the phone went dead permanently.
The family said they maintained constant communication with the Police Commander throughout Monday night. At about 4 a.m. on Tuesday, January 6, Maureen called the Commander again, who expressed surprise that the lawyer had neither called nor returned home and promised to intensify the rescue efforts.
Later, the Commander informed the family that a woman had been found in critical condition and taken to a specialist hospital in Abuja, requesting a photograph of Nwamaka for identification.
Maureen said she immediately flew from Lagos to Abuja. On arrival at the hospital, she was taken to the mortuary, where she identified her sister’s lifeless body, bearing visible signs of torture, including bruises, swollen eyes, and a cracked skull.
The Chigbo family said they have since met with police authorities, who assured them that the matter is under investigation and that those responsible would be brought to justice.
The statement noted that Barrister Nwamaka was an active member and former Treasurer of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), Abuja branch. She was also a member of the International Federation of Women Lawyers (FIDA/IFWL) and the Global Association of Female Lawyers (GAFA), and a former President of the Catholic Lawyers Association, Abuja.
An ardent Catholic, she authored a book on the Infant Jesus and served until her death as Vice President of the Infant Jesus Association. She was also a member of the Mother of Perpetual Help Catholic Group, among other religious associations.
The family expressed appreciation to the Nigeria Police Force for their efforts and cooperation so far and urged them to ensure justice is served. They also thanked Nwamaka’s friends, colleagues, and well-wishers for their prayers and support, adding that funeral arrangements would be announced in due course.