The International Federation of Women Lawyers (FIDA) Abuja branch has raised concern over the atrocities of “one-chance” criminals.

FIDA expressed outrage over the brutal murder of one of its senior members by suspected “one-chance” criminal operators.

The victim, identified as Chigbo Princess Mediatrix, a prominent legal practitioner and rights advocate, was abducted and killed, and her body dumped along a roadside in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).

Her body was said to have been discovered along the Kubwa Expressway, near Dawaki, opposite Gwarimpa Estate, by a commuter heading to work.

Preliminary reports suggest that the deceased may have fallen victim to suspected mobile armed robbers, commonly referred to as “one-chance” operators, notorious for targeting unsuspecting commuters within the FCT.

The circumstances surrounding her death point to a violent encounter.

Speaking at a press conference in Abuja on Thursday, FIDA Abuja Chairperson, Chioma Onyenucheya-Uko, described the incident as a searing indictment of the growing insecurity in the nation’s capital and called for urgent action to curb the rising wave of violent crimes.

Onyenucheya-Uko urged the Minister of FCT, Nyesom Wike, to declare an immediate security emergency against “one-chance” operators and to establish a multi-agency task force to dismantle these criminal networks.

She said: “This is not just a personal tragedy. It is a searing indictment of the growing insecurity in the Federal Capital Territory, a city that ought to represent safety, order, and the rule of law.

“While we mourn deeply with the family, colleagues, and loved ones of our fallen colleague, we condemn in the strongest possible terms, this heinous and dastardly act.

“No society that claims to be governed by law should tolerate the routine abduction, assault, and murder of its citizens, particularly in its capital city.

“It is important to note that this incident is not isolated. It forms part of a disturbing pattern of ‘one-chance’ operations that have continued unabated, despite repeated public outcries, media reports, and citizen distress. The time for expressions of sympathy has passed. What is urgently required now is decisive, coordinated, and visible action.”

She also called on the FCT authorities to install functional CCTV surveillance along major transport corridors and to regulate commercial transport operators.

Security agencies, including the Nigeria Police Force, DSS and NSCDC, were asked to intensify intelligence-driven patrols, arrests and investigations, while the justice sector was urged to ensure speedy prosecution of offenders.

Onyenucheya-Uko stressed that the safety of citizens, especially women and vulnerable commuters, was a constitutional obligation.

“When officers of the court are abducted and murdered, it sends a chilling message to every resident,” she said.

FIDA Abuja also vowed to continue engaging in advocacy and, if necessary, take legal action to ensure accountability, saying, “We honour our fallen colleague not with silence, but with resolve. Enough is enough.” (SUN)

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