Abuja based lawyer, late Nwamaka Chigbo
Founder and chairman of the Savannah Centre for Diplomacy, Democracy & Development, Professor Ibrahim A. Gambari, has expressed deep sorrow over the tragic death of Barrister Nwamaka Chigbo, an Abuja-based lawyer who was allegedly killed by kidnappers.
Prof. Gambari, a former Chief of Staff to President Muhammadu Buhari, conveyed his condolences in a letter personally signed and addressed to Dr. Maureen Chigbo, the deceased’s sister. The condolence message was dated January 12, 2026.
“I sincerely sympathise with you and your family on this huge and irreplaceable loss. I want to take solace in the knowledge that your sister has lived her life in accordance with the teachings of Jesus Christ and has touched so many lives with her benevolence,” Gambari said.
He further prayed for divine comfort for the bereaved family, adding: “And may the Lord give you and the family the fortitude to bear this pain.”
Realnews reports that the Chigbo family had earlier announced the brutal killing of Princess Nwamaka Mediatrix Chigbo, who was abducted by yet-to-be-identified kidnappers in the Federal Capital Territory on Monday, January 5, 2026.
Before her abduction, Barrister Nwamaka was reportedly on a phone call with her sister, Anthonia. The call was briefly interrupted when Anthonia attended to a client. Upon returning to the call, the line remained open, and she could hear her sister’s distress cries before the phone suddenly went dead.
Alarmed, Anthonia immediately alerted their elder sister, Maureen Chigbo, and other family members. Repeated attempts to reach the lawyer or her abductors proved unsuccessful.
When contact was eventually made, a male voice allegedly hurled insults in English and Hausa, demanding ransom. According to the family, the voice said: “Thunder fire you there, send three million Naira or else we will kill her.” Subsequent calls were abruptly cut off.
The family promptly reached out to police authorities, including the Force Public Relations Officer, and were directed to official complaint lines. They also sent distress messages to the Inspector General of Police and contacted the FCT Commissioner of Police, who linked them with the Commander of the Scorpion Squad, the unit handling kidnapping cases in Abuja.
The Commander later informed the family that the police were tracking the suspects, who were said to be “in motion and would likely drop the lawyer off once they might have collected the ransom.”
However, the kidnappers made no further demands. When the family tried to seek clarification on ransom payment through the victim’s phone, they reportedly heard Nwamaka screaming in pain, crying: “I am dying. …save me, please send the money, I am dying,” before the line went silent again.
The family maintained contact with the police throughout the night. At about 4 a.m. on Tuesday, January 6, Maureen Chigbo spoke with the Commander, who expressed surprise that the lawyer had neither returned home nor made contact, promising to intensify rescue efforts.
Later, the Commander informed the family that “a lady had been found in a critical condition” and taken to a specialist hospital in Abuja, requesting Nwamaka’s photograph for identification.
Maureen immediately travelled from Lagos to Abuja. On arrival at the hospital, she was confronted with the devastating sight of her sister’s lifeless body in the mortuary. The family said the remains showed visible signs of torture, including bruises, swollen eyes and a cracked skull.
The Chigbo family has since met with police authorities, who assured them that investigations are ongoing and that those responsible would be brought to justice.
Barrister Nwamaka Chigbo was an active member and former treasurer of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), Abuja. She was also a member of the International Federation of Women Lawyers (IFWL/FIDA) and the Global Association of Female Lawyers (GAFA), and a former President of the Catholic Lawyers Association, Abuja.
A devout Catholic, she authored a book on the Infant Jesus and served as Vice President of the Infant Jesus Association until her death. 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 its efforts and cooperation so far, while urging authorities to ensure that justice is fully served. They also thanked friends, colleagues and well-wishers for their prayers and support, noting that funeral arrangements would be announced in due course.
