The Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Police Command has announced the arrest of three suspected members of a notorious “one-chance” armed robbery syndicate in connection with the murder of Barrister Princess Nwamaka Mediatrix Chigbo, a prominent Abuja-based lawyer.
The suspects were apprehended following intelligence-led operations conducted between January 5 and January 10 across the Dei-Dei, Dakwa, and Dan-Tata communities in the Kubwa area of Abuja. Police said the breakthrough was achieved after tracing the victim’s mobile phone, leading operatives of the Scorpion Squad, under the command of Assistant Commissioner of Police Victor Ogbeide Godfrey, to the suspects.
Authorities identified the detained suspects as:
▪︎Saifullahi Yusuf, 22 – from Kaduna State
▪︎Ishau Yusuf, 24 – from Kaduna State (brother of Saifullahi)
▪︎Minka’ilu Jibril (aka Dan-Hajia) – also from Kaduna State
A fourth suspect, Musa, is reportedly still at large and being pursued by police.
Preliminary investigation by the FCT Police Command indicates that the suspects are members of a long-running “one-chance” criminal network known for posing as commercial transporters to lure unsuspecting commuters. On the evening of January 5, at about 5:50 p.m., Barrister Chigbo reportedly boarded a black Volkswagen Golf 3 vehicle on the Kubwa Expressway, unaware it was operated by criminals.
Once on board, the occupants rolled up the tinted windows, brandished weapons, and demanded ransom, police said. When the lawyer allegedly resisted, she was forcibly pushed out of the moving vehicle, sustaining injuries that proved fatal. Her body was later discovered along the roadside.
The suspects admitted to stealing Chigbo’s Android mobile phone, which was reportedly sold in the Dei-Dei market for ₦120,000. Distribution of the proceeds, according to investigators, saw Minka’ilu Jibril receive ₦30,000, Saifullahi Yusuf ₦15,000, with the remainder split between Ishau Yusuf and Musa.
During the arrests, police recovered several items believed to have been used in the gang’s illicit activities, including:
▪︎Five scissors
▪︎Two dagger-style knives
▪︎Two additional knives
▪︎One long metal chain allegedly used to restrain victims
▪︎One plier
The Commissioner of Police, CP Miller Dantawaye, commended the operatives for the arrests and reiterated the command’s commitment to combating violent crime in the FCT. Commuters have been urged to avoid unregistered or suspicious vehicles and to report any unusual activities through emergency police lines.
The killing of Princess Chigbo has also drawn widespread condemnation beyond police action. The Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) and groups like the International Federation of Women Lawyers (FIDA) have decried the resurgence of “one-chance” crimes in Abuja, urging coordinated security responses and stronger protections for commuters.
Investigations remain ongoing as police intensify efforts to apprehend remaining suspects and further dismantle the criminal network behind the deadly syndicate.
