The Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Police Command has arrested three suspected members of a notorious “one-chance” armed robbery syndicate over the murder of a legal practitioner, Barrister Princess Chigbo Nwamaka Mediatrix, in Abuja.
The suspects were apprehended following a directive by the Commissioner of Police, FCT Command, CP Miller Dantawaye, to ensure that all those connected to the gruesome killing are identified and brought to justice.
Between January 5 and 10, 2026, operatives of the Command’s Scorpion Squad, led by ACP Victor Ogbeide Godfrey, tracked the victim’s mobile phone using digital intelligence and carried out follow-up operations in Dei-Dei, Dakwa and Dan-Tata communities within the Kubwa area of the FCT.
The arrested suspects were identified as Saifullahi Yusuf, 22; Ishau Yusuf, 24; and Minka’ilu Jibril, also known as Dan-Hajia. Police disclosed that the first two suspects are biological brothers and all three are natives of Kaduna State.
Preliminary investigations revealed that the suspects belong to a criminal gang that has carried out “one-chance” robbery operations within the FCT for several years, especially during festive periods.
According to police findings, the suspects allegedly attacked Barrister Chigbo on January 5, 2026, at about 5:50 p.m., after she boarded their black Volkswagen Golf 3 vehicle along the Kubwa Expressway. Shortly after she entered the vehicle, the suspects reportedly wound up the tinted windows, threatened her with weapons and demanded ransom.
When the victim allegedly refused to comply, she was assaulted and pushed out of the moving vehicle along the expressway, leading to her death.
Police said the suspects admitted to stealing the victim’s Android mobile phone, which was later sold at Dei-Dei for ₦120,000. Investigations revealed that Minka’ilu Jibril received ₦30,000, Saifullahi Yusuf ₦15,000, while Ishau Yusuf and another suspect, identified simply as Musa and currently at large, shared the remaining amount.
During the arrests, operatives recovered several items believed to have been used in the commission of the crimes, including scissors, daggers, knives, a long chain used to restrain victims, and a plier.
The FCT Police Command said investigations are ongoing and efforts are being intensified to arrest the fleeing suspect and dismantle other criminal networks linked to the syndicate.
Commending the operatives involved, CP Dantawaye reassured residents of the FCT of the Command’s commitment to tackling violent crime. He urged members of the public to remain vigilant, avoid boarding unregistered or suspicious vehicles, and report suspicious activities to the police through designated emergency lines.
The police said further updates would be provided as investigations continue.