By Our Reporter
The family of the late Pa Adolphus and Victoria Chigbo of Abidi Village, Umuoji, Idemili North Local Government Area of Anambra State, has announced the funeral arrangements for their daughter, Barrister Princess Nwamaka Mediatrix Chigbo, who was murdered in Abuja last month.
In a statement signed on behalf of the family by Mr. Celestine Chigbo and Dr. Maureen Chigbo, the funeral rites will take place on Thursday and Friday, February 5 and 6, 2026, in Umuoji.
Barrister Chigbo, an Abuja-based lawyer and former Treasurer of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), Abuja Branch, was abducted and later killed by unidentified kidnappers in the Federal Capital Territory on Monday, January 5, 2026.
According to the programme released by the family, a wake keep and Mass will be held on Thursday, February 5, at 5 p.m., followed by a Night of Tribute from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. Both events will take place at the Adolphus Chigbo family compound in Abidi Village, Umuoji.
On Friday, February 6, a lawyers’ file will be formed to receive the remains of the deceased, while family members, friends, and sympathisers will have the opportunity to view the body and pay their last respects from 8 a.m. at the family compound. The Requiem Mass will begin at 10 a.m. at Our Lady of Seven Sorrows Catholic Church, Abidi Village, Umuoji, after which interment and reception will follow at the family compound.
The outing Mass is scheduled for Sunday, February 8, 2026, at 9:30 a.m. at Our Lady of Seven Sorrows Catholic Church, Abidi, Umuoji.
The family advised guests travelling to Umuoji to follow the Nkpor–Umuoji Road from Nkpor Junction, stop at the Old Post Office in Abidi Village, turn onto St. Scholastica Monastery Road, and ask for the Adolphus Chigbo family compound.
Recall that the family had earlier announced Barrister Chigbo’s death on January 8, 2026, detailing the circumstances surrounding her abduction. According to the statement, she was on a phone call with her sister, Anthonia, when the call was abruptly interrupted. Moments later, distress sounds were reportedly heard before the line went dead.
The family said repeated attempts to reach her or her abductors were unsuccessful until a brief call was received demanding a ransom. The matter was promptly reported to senior police authorities, including the Inspector General of Police and the FCT Commissioner of Police, who linked the family to the anti-kidnapping unit handling the case.
Despite assurances that efforts were ongoing to rescue her, the family was later informed that a woman in critical condition had been taken to a hospital in Abuja. The deceased was subsequently identified at the facility.
The Chigbo family said it has since met with police authorities, who assured them that investigations are ongoing and that those responsible will be brought to justice.
Barrister Chigbo was an active member of the Nigerian Bar Association, Abuja Branch; the International Federation of Women Lawyers (FIDA); and the Global Association of Female Lawyers (GAFA). She was also a former President of the Catholic Lawyers Association, Abuja.
A devout Catholic, she authored a book on the Infant Jesus and served as Vice President of the Infant Jesus Association, in addition to being a member of several Catholic devotional groups.
The family expressed gratitude to the Nigeria Police Force for its cooperation so far and thanked friends, colleagues, and well-wishers for their support and prayers during the period of mourning.