Two brothers, one other arrested over kidnapping, murder of ex-Abuja NBA treasurer

By Monday Ijeh

Three members of one-chance kidnap gang allegedly involved in abduction and murder of a former treasurer of Nigerian Bar Association, NBA Princess Nwamaka Mediatrix Chigbo in Abuja have been arrested,

The suspects are members of a notorious “one-chance” armed robbery syndicate operating on and off within the FCT for several years, the Command’s spokesperson, SP Josephine Adeh, made this known in a statement on Sunday in Abuja.

The Police spokesperson described the arrest of the suspects as a major breakthrough in the command’s sustained fight against violent crime in the FCT.

According to her, the three suspects include two biological brothers.

Adeh said the suspects were allegedly notorious armed robbery suspects involved in “one-chance” criminal operations and the gruesome murder of Chigbo.

She said the arrest follows clear directives issued by the Commissioner of Police (CP) in charge of the FCT, Mr Miller Dantawaye.

She said the CP had directed that the perpetrators of the murder and other similar crimes within the FCT be identified and brought to justice.

“Between Jan. 5 and 20, operatives of the Command’s Scorpion Squad, led by ACP Victor Godfrey, acting on reconstructive digital intelligence, tracked the victim’s mobile phone.

“The squad conducted follow up operations at Dei-Dei, Dakwa, and Dan-Tata communities within Kubwa Area of the FCT.

“These intelligence-led operations led to the arrest of the three suspects; two of the suspects are biological brothers,” she said.

Speaking on how Chigbo was abducted, Adeh said on Jan. 5, at about 5:50 pm, the former NBA official unknowingly boarded a black Volkswagen Golf 3 vehicle with the suspects inside along the Kubwa Expressway, unaware that the occupants were criminals.

“Upon entry into the vehicle, the suspects wound up the tinted windows and threatened the victim with weapons in an attempt to force her to pay ransom for her own release.

“When she allegedly refused to cooperate, she was physically assaulted and pushed out of the moving vehicle along the Kubwa Expressway, resulting in her death,” she said.

She said the suspects further admitted to dispossessing the victim of her Android mobile phone and later sold it at Dei-Dei for the sum of N120,000.

Adeh said the money realised from the sale was shared among the three suspects and one other, currently at large.

She said the exhibits recovered from the suspects were five scissors, two sharp dagger knives, two knives, and one long chain used for restraining victims and one plier.

“These items are believed to have been used in the commission of their criminal activities.

“Investigation is ongoing, and intensive efforts are in top gear to apprehend the remaining suspect, who is currently at large, and to uncover any additional criminal networks linked to the syndicate,” she said.

The Abuja chapter of NBA had condemned the murder of Chigbo while calling on police to ensure justice for the family of the murder victim.

The Chigbo family had in a statement announced her brutal death at the hands of kidnappers in FCT on Monday 5th January 2026.

According to the statement, Princess Chigbo was killed by kidnappers after police was informed about her abduction.

The family said 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, and member of the Mother of Perpetual Help Catholic Group among other religious groups.