Abuja Lawyer,
Fresh details have emerged surrounding the abduction and killing of Abuja-based lawyer, Nwamaka Chigbo, who was murdered by kidnappers despite a ₦3 million ransom demand, her family has revealed.
In a statement released on Friday, the family disclosed that Chigbo was on a phone call with her sister, Anthonia, moments before she was abducted.
According to them, the call remained connected during the incident, allowing Anthonia to hear her sister’s screams and cries for help before the line abruptly went silent.
“When Anthonia called back, Nwamaka’s phone was still connected. Her distress cries could be heard in the background before the line suddenly went dead and became unreachable,” the family said.
The family explained that repeated attempts to reach Chigbo or her abductors initially failed. When contact was eventually established, a male voice reportedly answered the phone, issuing threats and demanding money.
“A man rained curses in English and Hausa, threatening that she would be killed if ₦3 million was not sent,” the statement said.
The incident was immediately reported to the police, who assured the family that tracking efforts were underway and suggested the kidnappers might release the lawyer once the ransom was paid.
However, the kidnappers made no further contact. When the family later called Chigbo’s phone to inquire about ransom payment arrangements, they heard her voice once more.
“They only heard her screaming in pain, crying, ‘I am dying, please save me. Send the money, I am dying,’ before the phone went dead again,” the family recounted.
While efforts to locate her continued, the family said they were informed on Tuesday, January 6, that an unidentified woman in critical condition had been taken to a specialist hospital in Abuja.
Her sister, Maureen Chigbo, travelled from Lagos to confirm the information.
“On arrival at the hospital, she discovered her sister’s lifeless body in the mortuary, bearing visible signs of torture, including bruises, swollen eyes and a cracked skull,” the statement said.
Chigbo was a former treasurer of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), Abuja branch, and a member of several professional bodies, including the International Federation of Women Lawyers and the Global Association of Female Lawyers.
Her death has sparked outrage within the legal community.
A former chairman of the NBA Abuja branch, Afam Okeke, called for stronger collaboration among security agencies to tackle the rising cases of kidnapping and ‘one-chance’ crimes in the Federal Capital Territory.
“I urge the police to deploy all necessary resources to ensure the perpetrators of this heinous act are brought to justice and to prevent a recurrence,” Okeke said.
The police have confirmed that investigations are ongoing.
The Commissioner of Police, FCT Command, Miller Dantawaye, gave the assurance while receiving a delegation of the NBA at the command headquarters.
“The Command has commenced extensive and discreet investigations into the circumstances surrounding the incident, with a firm commitment to identifying, apprehending and prosecuting those responsible,” the police stated.
