Chigbo, Realnews Publisher, Loses Elder Sister To Kidnappers In Abuja

Publisher of Nigeria’s pioneer online Realnews Magazine, Dr Maureen Chigbo, has lost her sister, Princess Nwamaka Mediatrix Chigbo, to kidnappers in Abuja.

The incident occurred on Monday, January 5.

According to a statement by the family, Nwamaka, before her abduction, was on the phone with Anthonia, another sister who briefly interrupted the call to attend to a client.

“When Anthonia reverted, Nwamaka’s phone was still live, with her distress cry heard in the background before the phone suddenly went dead and unreachable,” the statement added.

“Anthonia alerted her elder sister, Maureen Chigbo, and other family members, who called the lawyer’s number repeatedly to reach her or her abductors to no avail,” the statement continued, adding that: “When a call finally went through, a male voice rained curses in English and Hausa language, saying: “Thunder fire you there, send three million Naira or else we will kill her.”

According to the statement, the captors gave no further details and abruptly terminated subsequent calls.

The family contacted the police, who sprang into action, assuring that they were tracking the kidnappers, who were said to be “in motion and would likely drop the lawyer off once they might have collected the ransom,”  the statement further said.

“The kidnappers never initiated any calls, and when Nwamaka’s family members reached them through her phone for clarification on how the ransom would be paid, they only heard the lawyer screaming in pain, “I am dying. …save me, please send the money, I am dying,” before the phone finally went dead again,” the statement added.

While making frantic efforts for Nwamaka’s rescue, the family said, they were informed on Tuesday, January 6, that “a lady had been found in a critical condition and taken to an Abuja specialist hospital.”

According to the statement, Maureen “immediately took a flight from Lagos to Abuja and on reaching the hospital, saw her sister’s lifeless body in the mortuary with bruises, swollen eyes and a cracked skull, all signs of a tortured death.”

The Chigbo family has met with the Police authorities, who assured them that the case was under investigation and that the culprits would be apprehended.

Nwamaka, an Abuja-based lawyer, was a former treasurer of the Nigerian Bar Association, Abuja, a member of the International Federation of Women Lawyers (FIDA) and the Global Association of Female Lawyers (GAFA). She had also served as President of the Catholic Lawyers Association, Abuja Branch.

A devout Catholic, Nwamaka authored a book on Infant Jesus, and until her death, was the vice president of the Infant Jesus Association, and a member of the Mother of Perpetual Help Catholic Group.

The family expressed its “gratitude to the Police for their efforts and cooperation so far, and urges the force to ensure that justice is served in Nwamaka’s case.”

The family also thanked “Nwamaka’s friends, colleagues and well-wishers for their support and prayers,” the statement said, adding that her funeral arrangements “will be announced as soon as possible.