Abuja, Nigeria has been rocked by the tragic murders of two dedicated professionals, lawyer Princess Nwamaka Mediatrix Chigbo and nurse Chinemerem Chuwumeziem, both victims of what are widely believed to be “one-chance” attacks. These incidents, occurring in early January, have sparked outrage and calls for urgent action against criminal transport operators in the nation's capital.

Princess Nwamaka Mediatrix Chigbo, an Abuja-based lawyer, former treasurer of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) Abuja branch, and active member of the International Federation of Women Lawyers (IFWL), was brutally killed on Monday, January 5, 2026. According to a statement from her family, issued by Dr. Maureen Chigbo, Nwamaka was on a phone call with her sister Anthonia when she suddenly heard a distress cry before the line went dead. Subsequent calls led to a male voice demanding N3 million in ransom, threatening her life if the demand was not met. The family immediately alerted police authorities, including the FCT Police Command and the Commander of the Scorpion Squad, who assured them that tracking was underway and the kidnappers would likely drop off the lawyer after collecting ransom. During a subsequent call to the captors, Nwamaka was heard screaming in pain, pleading, “I am dying. …save me, please send the money, I am dying,” before the phone died again. Tragically, at 4 am on Tuesday, January 6, the family was informed that a lady in critical condition had been found. Maureen Chigbo flew from Lagos to Abuja, only to identify her sister’s lifeless body in the mortuary, bearing severe bruises, swollen eyes, and a cracked skull – clear signs of torture. Her body was discovered by the roadside along the Kubwa Expressway, with her bag found a short distance away, a pattern consistent with “one-chance” crimes.

In a separate but equally tragic incident, Chinemerem Chuwumeziem, a compassionate and dedicated nurse at the Federal Medical Centre (FMC) Jabi, Abuja, was murdered on January 3. Prof. Saad Ahmed, the CMD of FMC Jabi, stated that Chuwumeziem, who joined the center in 2025 and was named “Best Nurse of the Year 2025,” completed her afternoon shift on a Saturday, leaving the hospital at 6:13 pm. Concern arose when her family reported her missing on Sunday. The hospital mobilized staff and contacted security agencies. Her corpse was later discovered by police around Bolingo Hotel Junction in the Central Business District, Abuja, with her bag and bible intact, but her mobile phone missing. She was buried in Imo State. The FMC has since reported the incident to relevant ministries and security services, who have assured ongoing investigations, and the hospital is implementing measures to enhance staff safety, including reviewing shift schedules and improving the shuttle bus system.

These horrific events have galvanized legal and women’s rights organizations to demand justice. The Federation of International Women Lawyers (FIDA) and the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) Abuja branch have vowed to ensure perpetrators are brought to book. Chioma Onyenucheya-Uko, Chairperson of FIDA Abuja, expressed alarm, stating that the murder of “officers of the court, defenders of rights… sends a chilling message to every resident, especially women and other vulnerable commuters.” FIDA has called on the FCT Administration to declare a security emergency, establish a multi-agency task force, install functional CCTV, and regulate commercial transportation. They urged security agencies to intensify intelligence-driven patrols, ensure prompt arrests and prosecutions, and provide public briefings. The justice sector was pressed for speedy disposition of such cases to ensure justice is not only done but visibly seen. Similarly, the NBA-Abuja, in a statement signed by Chairman Steve Emelieze and Secretary Onyeka Obiajulu on January 8, 2026, strongly urged the FCT Commissioner of Police and other security agencies to intensify investigations, dismantle “one-chance” syndicates, increase police presence in hotspots, and promptly prosecute those responsible for these heinous crimes. Both organizations underscored the critical need for justice to be served.