Ejiofor condemns abduction, murder of Abuja-based woman lawyer

…Calls for Urgent Security Reforms

By Nwabueze Okonkwo

ONITSHA — Human rights lawyer, Sir Ifeanyi Ejiofor, has strongly condemned the abduction and brutal murder of an Abuja-based legal practitioner, Princess Nwamaka Mediatrix Chigbo, allegedly by notorious “one-chance” criminal elements operating within the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).

In a press statement made available to journalists, Ejiofor described the killing as a tragic indictment of the growing insecurity in Abuja and a failure of leadership and intelligence-driven policing in the nation’s capital.

He called for urgent, discreet and intelligence-led measures to dismantle one-chance syndicates, who operate under the guise of commercial transport. According to him, such measures should include comprehensive vehicle profiling, mandatory registration, digital tagging and biometric capture of all commercial transport operators in the FCT, as well as the elimination of unregistered taxis through sustained enforcement and undercover intelligence operations.

Ejiofor lamented that Abuja, conceived as the secure heart of the Nigerian federation, has increasingly become a theatre of fear and lawlessness, where criminal syndicates prey on unsuspecting citizens in broad daylight.

He described the late Princess Chigbo, an active member of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), as a brilliant and accomplished lawyer whose death symbolises the alarming descent of the capital into insecurity.

According to Ejiofor, the victim was abducted on January 5, 2026, after boarding what appeared to be a regular commercial taxi, which he described as “a moving death chamber” operated by criminals. He alleged that she was tortured and eventually killed by her abductors.

The rights lawyer also criticised what he termed leadership failure at a time when kidnapping and one-chance crimes are escalating in the FCT. He accused the FCT Minister of neglecting his constitutional responsibility as the Chief Security Officer of Abuja, alleging that the minister was preoccupied with political activities outside the capital.

Ejiofor further noted that the occasional deployment of security operatives at checkpoints amounted to “security theatre” rather than a comprehensive strategy, stressing that criminals who live and operate among the populace cannot be defeated through static measures alone.

He advocated the deployment of plain-clothes operatives, infiltration of transport corridors and criminal networks, the use of informants within motor parks and transport unions, expansion of real-time CCTV coverage integrated with artificial intelligence-based vehicle recognition, and emergency passenger alert systems linked to FCT security command centres.

Other recommendations include massive public sensitisation on safe commuting practices, promotion of ride verification culture and greater leadership accountability.

Ejiofor insisted that the death of Princess Chigbo must not be in vain, calling on authorities to move beyond rhetoric and take decisive action to protect lives and restore public confidence in Abuja’s security architecture.

“Abuja does not need more slogans or political theatrics. It needs presence, purpose and protection,” he said.

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