Fresh outrage has trailed the killing of an Abuja-based lawyer and a nurse by suspected “one chance” criminals, reigniting fears over the resurgence of the notorious crime syndicates operating within the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).
The victims, identified as Chigbo Mediatrix, a lawyer and former Treasurer of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), Abuja Branch, and Chinemerem Chuwumeziem, a nurse, were allegedly attacked by criminals posing as commercial transport operators. Their bodies were later discovered in different parts of the city, sending shockwaves across professional circles and the wider public.
Police authorities confirmed that investigations were ongoing. In a statement issued on Wednesday, the spokesperson of the FCT Police Command, Josephine Adeh, said discreet investigations had commenced to unravel the circumstances surrounding the deaths and to apprehend those responsible.
Reacting strongly to the incidents, the Nigerian Bar Association described the killings as a disturbing indication that insecurity was once again tightening its grip on Nigeria’s capital. In a statement on Thursday, the NBA President, Mazi Afam Osigwe, SAN, said the deaths had plunged Abuja into grief and fear.
“These were not faceless victims. They were professionals, contributors to society, and ordinary citizens whose only intention was to return safely from their daily engagements,” Osigwe said. “Their deaths underscore a frightening reality that insecurity is once again tightening its grip on the nation’s capital.”
The NBA described the killings as a damning indictment of a worsening security situation, noting that criminal gangs masquerading as commercial transport operators had turned daily commuting into a deadly gamble for residents.
Osigwe said the killing of Mediatrix was deeply personal to the legal profession, recalling her service to the NBA Abuja Branch with dedication and integrity. He described her murder as both a professional and personal loss to the association.
“The Nigerian Bar Association condemns in the strongest terms these senseless and horrifying killings. The pattern is no longer deniable. Criminal gangs now operate with alarming confidence on our roads,” the statement added.
The association called on the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, the Nigeria Police Force, and other security agencies to treat the situation as a full-blown security emergency. It demanded immediate and coordinated measures, including intensified intelligence gathering, enhanced surveillance, increased policing of transport corridors and targeted operations against known “one chance” syndicates.
“Justice must not only be promised; it must be delivered,” the NBA stressed.
Similarly, the International Federation of Women Lawyers (FIDA), Nigeria, Abuja Branch, condemned the killing of Mediatrix, describing her as one of its senior and committed members. Speaking at a press briefing in Abuja on Thursday, the Chairperson of FIDA Abuja Branch, Chioma Onyenucheya-Uko, said the incident reflected the alarming deterioration of security in the nation’s capital.
“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,” she said.
According to FIDA, Mediatrix was abducted by suspected one-chance operators, murdered, and her body dumped along the Kubwa Expressway, where it was discovered by an early-morning commuter.
The association said it was “devastated and outraged” by the killing, noting that it formed part of a persistent pattern of attacks despite repeated public outcry and media reports.
“The time for expressions of sympathy has passed. What is urgently required now is decisive, coordinated and visible action,” Onyenucheya-Uko declared.
FIDA called on the FCT Administration to declare a security emergency against one-chance criminal gangs and to establish a dedicated multi-agency task force to dismantle their networks. It also advocated the installation of functional CCTV cameras along major transport corridors and identified hotspots, as well as the sanitisation of commercial transportation through proper identification and registration of operators.
The group further urged security agencies to intensify intelligence-led patrols, swiftly arrest perpetrators, and provide regular public briefings to restore public confidence.
“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,” the organisation said.
“One chance” criminals are mobile robbers who disguise themselves as commercial transport operators, preying on unsuspecting commuters. Their renewed activities in Abuja have once again raised questions about public safety, enforcement gaps and the urgent need for decisive security reforms in the FCT.
As investigations continue, residents and professional bodies alike are demanding swift justice for the victims and concrete action to end what many now describe as a deadly menace on Abuja’s roads.
The group also called for speedy prosecution of cases arising from one-chance operations to deter offenders, warning that the killing of a legal practitioner sends a “chilling message” to residents, particularly women and vulnerable commuters.
“The safety of citizens is not optional; it is a constitutional obligation,” Onyenucheya-Uko stressed.
“We will not remain silent. We will continue to engage, advocate and demand accountability until concrete steps are taken to end this scourge,” she added.
The association vowed to pursue strategic advocacy and legal action where necessary.
“We honour our fallen colleague not with silence, but with resolve. Enough is enough.”
Mediatrix’s death came days after the body of a nurse, Chinemerem Chuwumeziem of the Federal Medical Centre, Jabi, Abuja, was also found by the roadside, reportedly another victim of one-chance robbers.
