Police in Abuja have arrested three men in connection with the killing of a female lawyer who was allegedly pushed from a moving vehicle during a “one-chance” robbery.
The victim, Chigbo Princess, is believed to have been a staff member of the FCT High Court. Her body was discovered on the Kubwa Expressway on Tuesday, sparking fresh concerns over the safety of public transport in the Nigerian capital.
“One-chance” is a common term in Nigeria for a type of robbery where criminals pose as taxi drivers or passengers to lure victims into a vehicle before robbing, kidnapping, or assaulting them.
Digital trail leads to arrests
The FCT Police Command confirmed on Sunday that the arrests were made after a specialist unit, the Scorpion Squad, used “digital intelligence” to track the victim’s stolen mobile phone.
The operations, conducted between 5 and 10 January, led officers to the Dei-Dei and Kubwa areas of the city. The suspects have been identified as:
- Saifullahi Yusuf, 22
- Ishau Yusuf, 24 (brother of Saifullahi)
- Minka’ilu Jibril (also known as Dan-Hajia)
A fourth suspect, identified only as Musa, remains at large.
A fatal commute
According to police spokesperson SP Josephine Adeh, Ms Chigbo unknowingly boarded a black Volkswagen Golf on the evening of 5 January.
Once inside, the suspects reportedly wound up the tinted windows and threatened her with weapons, demanding a ransom for her release. When she refused to cooperate, she was physically assaulted and shoved out of the speeding car.
The suspects allegedly confessed to selling her phone for 120,000 Naira (£65; $82) and splitting the proceeds.
Items recovered from the suspects included:
- Five pairs of scissors
- Three knives and two daggers
- Pliers and a long chain
Growing insecurity
The killing has heightened fears among residents of Abuja, coming shortly after the death of a nurse, Chinemerem Chuwumeziem, in similar circumstances.
The National Association of Nigerian Nurses and Midwives has condemned the recent wave of violence, calling for more robust security measures on the city’s major highways.
The FCT Commissioner of Police, Miller Dantawaye, has assured the public that the “sustained fight against violent crime” will continue until the remaining suspect is apprehended.
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