Family of slain lawyer, Princess Chigbo Mediatrix and the Global Association of Female Attorneys (GAFA) have called on authorities to conduct a thorough investigation into her murder.
The call followed the arrest of three suspects by the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Police Command over the killing of the legal practitioner, which police said was linked to a “one-chance” robbery operation in Abuja.
Speaking at a Night of Tribute organised by GAFA on Friday in Abuja, the deceased’s younger sister, Maureen Chigbo, urged law enforcement agencies to ensure that justice is served.
Ms Chigbo said she personally interviewed the suspects as part of her efforts to seek justice for her sister and uncovered discrepancies between their statements and established facts.
“We are not dealing with suppositions. A homicide investigation must examine all loopholes to establish the truth,” she said.
She added that her sister had dedicated her career to the pursuit of justice and advocacy for the poor, stressing that the family would not allow her death to be treated casually.
Maureen Chigbo disclosed that the deceased attended evening Mass on the day of the incident and later spoke with her sister before a distress call and subsequent threats from unidentified persons.
She called on legal practitioners and other stakeholders to support demands for a thorough investigation and prosecution of those responsible.
“Join us to uncover who kidnapped and murdered my sister. This is homicide. The investigation cannot be sloppy or superficial,” she said.
The GAFA International President, Chinelo Iriele, described Princess Chigbo as a former International Secretary of the association and urged authorities to investigate the case fully and ensure accountability.
“We demand perpetrators be exposed and face full consequences. Accountability is necessary to curb recurring violence in our society,” she said.
Also speaking, Chigozie Eruchalu, Principal Partner at Goziem Chambers, said the killing underscored security challenges faced by citizens, while Uwakwe Abugu, director general of the Institute of Medical and Health Law, said the late lawyer, who was inducted in 2022, deserved justice without delay.
Legal practitioners, media professionals and other guests attended the tribute.
Meanwhile, the FCT Police Public Relations Officer, SP Josephine Adeh, had said last Sunday that three suspects arrested over the killing were involved in “one-chance” robbery operations.
According to SP Adeh, the suspects were arrested by operatives of the Scorpion Squad led by ACP Victor Godfrey after police tracked the victim’s mobile phone through digital intelligence and carried out operations in Dei-Dei, Dakwa and Dan-Tata communities in the Kubwa area of the FCT.
She said investigations showed that on January 5, at about 5:50 pm, Princess Chigbo boarded a black Volkswagen Golf 3 vehicle along the Kubwa Expressway, unaware that the occupants were criminals.
Adeh said the suspects allegedly threatened the victim with weapons in an attempt to force her to pay ransom and later assaulted her before pushing her out of the moving vehicle, leading to her death.
The police spokesperson added that the suspects admitted to taking the victim’s Android phone, which was sold for N120,000, with the proceeds shared among them and another suspect who is currently at large.
Items recovered from the suspects include scissors, knives, daggers, a chain and a plier, which police said were used in their operations.
Adeh said investigations were ongoing and efforts were being made to arrest the remaining suspect and uncover other members of the group.
