Barely a year after the gruesome killing of Ifeanyi Chukwu-Agah Benedict, popularly known as Abuja Area Mama (AAM), human rights lawyers have taken the Nigeria Police Force to court over its alleged refusal to investigate the incident.
On August 8, 2024, AAM was brutally attacked and murdered by yet-to-be-identified assailants. Her body was stripped naked and callously dumped along the Katampe-Mabushi expressway in Abuja, sparking outrage within minority communities and among human rights groups.
According to Minority Watch, a non-governmental organization of lawyers and paralegals registered under the name “Minority Advocates for Education and Equitable Access to Rights Initiative,” the killing was not random but a targeted attack linked to AAM’s personality and gender identity. The group argued that the circumstances suggested that she was singled out either solely on the basis of her identity or in connection with other undisclosed issues.
In response to the killing, Minority Watch, in collaboration with two other NGOs, submitted a formal petition to the Commissioner of Police, Federal Capital Territory (FCT), on the very day of the incident. A follow-up petition was also submitted on February 12, 2025. Both petitions demanded a full-scale investigation into the circumstances surrounding AAM’s death.
While the petitions were acknowledged by the Commissioner’s office, the organizations alleged that no tangible action has been taken.
“This refusal, failure, or neglect to investigate is not only unacceptable but also a further violation of AAM’s fundamental right to life,” Chizelu Emejulu, Esq., the Executive Director of the organization, said in a statement on Tuesday.
Frustrated by the lack of progress, the organization has now initiated a Fundamental Rights Enforcement action at the Federal High Court, Abuja. The suit, with suit number FHC/ABJ/CS/1584/2025, filed on behalf of AAM, seeks judicial intervention compelling the police to fulfill its constitutional duty.
Specifically, the group is asking the court for a declaration that the police’s inaction amounts to an additional violation of AAM’s right to life under Nigerian law. Furthermore, they are seeking an order of mandamus directing the police to immediately commence a thorough investigation into the murder, apprehend the perpetrators, and ensure they are prosecuted in accordance with the law.
“The right to life is sacrosanct. To ignore such a heinous crime is to send a dangerous message that some lives do not matter. We cannot allow that precedent to stand,” Chizelu emphasized.
Human rights observers say the case is significant not only because of the brutality of the murder but also because it highlights the systemic failures in addressing violence against marginalized groups in Nigeria.
As the legal battle commences, pressure mounts on the Nigeria Police Force to respond decisively. Advocates insist that justice for Abuja Area Mama would serve as a test case for Nigeria’s commitment to protecting the rights and lives of all its citizens, regardless of identity.
The Federal High Court is expected to assign the matter to a judge and fix a date for hearing in the coming weeks.
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