The Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Police Command has arrested three suspected members of a notorious “one-chance” armed robbery syndicate in connection with the brutal murder of a legal practitioner, Barrister Princess Chigbo Nwamaka Mediatrix, in Abuja.
The arrest marks a significant breakthrough in the Command’s ongoing crackdown on violent crime and follows a directive by the Commissioner of Police, CP Miller Dantawaye, ordering the immediate identification and prosecution of all individuals linked to the killing and similar criminal activities across the FCT.
According to a statement issued by the Police Public Relations Officer, SP Josephine Adeh, operatives of the Command’s elite Scorpion Squad, led by ACP Victor Ogbeide Godfrey, carried out intelligence-driven operations between January 5 and January 10, 2026, using reconstructive digital intelligence to track the victim’s mobile phone.
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The operations led to coordinated follow-up raids in Dei-Dei, Dakwa, and Dan-Tata communities within the Kubwa Area of the FCT, resulting in the arrest of three suspects identified as:
- Saifullahi Yusuf, 22, male, from Kaduna State, resident in Dan-Tata Community, Dei-Dei
- Ishau Yusuf, 24, male, from Kaduna State, resident in Dan-Tata Community, Dei-Dei
- Minka’ilu Jibril, also known as Dan-Hajia, male, from Kaduna State
Police disclosed that Saifullahi Yusuf and Ishau Yusuf are biological brothers.
Preliminary investigations revealed that the suspects are members of a long-standing “one-chance” armed robbery syndicate that has reportedly operated intermittently within the FCT for several years, with increased activity during festive periods.
Investigators further established that on January 5, 2026, at about 5:50 p.m., the late Barrister Princess Chigbo boarded a black Volkswagen Golf 3 along the Kubwa Expressway, unaware that the occupants were criminals. Shortly after she entered the vehicle, the suspects allegedly wound up the tinted windows and threatened her with weapons in an attempt to extort ransom for her release.
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Police said the victim was physically assaulted after allegedly refusing to comply with the demands and was subsequently pushed out of the moving vehicle along the expressway, an act that led to her death.
The suspects reportedly confessed to dispossessing the victim of her Android mobile phone, which was later sold in Dei-Dei for ₦120,000. According to police findings, Minka’ilu Jibril received ₦30,000, Saifullahi Yusuf received ₦15,000, while Ishau Yusuf and another suspect currently at large, identified as Musa, shared the remaining sum.
During the arrest, police recovered several items believed to have been used in the commission of their crimes, including five scissors, two sharp dagger knives, two knives, a long chain used for restraining victims, and a plier.
The FCT Police Command said investigations are ongoing, with intensified efforts underway to apprehend the fleeing suspect and dismantle any additional criminal networks linked to the syndicate.
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Commending the professionalism and dedication of the operatives involved, CP Dantawaye reassured residents that the Command remains fully committed to ridding the FCT of criminal elements. He urged members of the public to remain vigilant, avoid boarding unregistered or suspicious vehicles, and promptly report suspicious activities through the Command’s emergency lines: 08032003913 and 07057337653.
Police said further updates would be provided as investigations progress.
Esther Ososanya is an investigative journalist with Pinnacle Daily, reporting across health, business, environment, metro, Fct and crime. Known for her bold, empathetic storytelling, she uncovers hidden truths, challenges broken systems, and gives voice to overlooked Nigerians. Her work drives national conversations and demands accountability one powerful story at a time.
