Is Abuja Safe Anymore? NBA Raises Alarm Over Return of ‘One-Chance’ Killings After Murder of Nurse and Lawyer
The Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) has raised a grave alarm over what it described as the disturbing return of “one-chance” criminal operations in Abuja following the brutal killing of two professionals in separate incidents across the Federal Capital Territory (FCT). In a statement signed by its President, Mazi Afam Osigwe, SAN, the association warned that insecurity is once again tightening its grip on Nigeria’s seat of power.
According to the NBA, the victims were Ms. Chinemerem Pascalina Chuwumeziem, a nurse, and Princess Chigbo Mediatrix, a lawyer and former Treasurer of the NBA Abuja Branch. Both women were allegedly murdered after falling prey to criminals posing as commercial transport operators—an infamous tactic known locally as “one-chance.” Their bodies were later discovered in different parts of the city, sparking widespread fear among residents.
The association described the killings as a chilling reminder of the growing vulnerability of Abuja residents, stressing that the victims were not faceless individuals but professionals who simply intended to return home safely from their daily engagements. The NBA said the incidents had plunged the capital into grief and exposed a dangerous deterioration in public safety.
Condemning the attacks in the strongest terms, the NBA warned that the pattern of “one-chance” crimes could no longer be ignored. It stated that criminal gangs masquerading as transport operators have turned routine commuting into a life-threatening gamble, making ordinary citizens, workers, and professionals targets on the city’s roads.
Osigwe described the killing of Princess Chigbo Mediatrix as particularly painful for the legal community, noting that she was a committed member of the Bar whom he knew personally. He said her death was not only a professional loss but a deeply personal blow, underscoring that lawyers—like all Nigerians—remain dangerously exposed in an environment where criminals operate with impunity.
The NBA warned that the murders represent more than individual tragedies, arguing that they signal a broader erosion of security in the FCT. It stressed that when citizens cannot commute safely, when professionals are attacked in plain sight, and when criminal networks act unchecked in the nation’s capital, the foundations of social order are severely threatened.
Calling for urgent action, the association urged the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, the Nigeria Police Force, and other security agencies to treat the situation as a full-scale security emergency. It demanded immediate, visible, and coordinated measures to dismantle “one-chance” syndicates, including intensified intelligence gathering, surveillance, policing of transport corridors, and targeted operations against known criminal networks.
The NBA also insisted on thorough, transparent, and time-bound investigations into the killings, warning that failure to deliver justice would deepen public fear and embolden criminal elements. It emphasized that justice must not only be promised but must be seen to be done, with perpetrators, collaborators, and enablers identified, arrested, and prosecuted.
Reaffirming the state’s duty to protect lives, the association said citizens should not have to choose between earning a living and staying alive. It warned that Abuja must not become a hunting ground where criminals prey on the vulnerable while law enforcement appears distant or reactive.
The NBA extended condolences to the families of the victims, the healthcare community, the NBA Abuja Branch, and residents of the FCT. The killings have reignited public debate over safety in Nigeria’s capital, raising urgent questions about urban security, policing, public transport safety, and government accountability in protecting citizens from organized street crime.
The Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) has raised a grave alarm over what it described as the disturbing return of “one-chance” criminal operations in Abuja following the brutal killing of two professionals in separate incidents across the Federal Capital Territory (FCT). In a statement signed by its President, Mazi Afam Osigwe, SAN, the association warned that insecurity is once again tightening its grip on Nigeria’s seat of power.
According to the NBA, the victims were Ms. Chinemerem Pascalina Chuwumeziem, a nurse, and Princess Chigbo Mediatrix, a lawyer and former Treasurer of the NBA Abuja Branch. Both women were allegedly murdered after falling prey to criminals posing as commercial transport operators—an infamous tactic known locally as “one-chance.” Their bodies were later discovered in different parts of the city, sparking widespread fear among residents.
The association described the killings as a chilling reminder of the growing vulnerability of Abuja residents, stressing that the victims were not faceless individuals but professionals who simply intended to return home safely from their daily engagements. The NBA said the incidents had plunged the capital into grief and exposed a dangerous deterioration in public safety.
Condemning the attacks in the strongest terms, the NBA warned that the pattern of “one-chance” crimes could no longer be ignored. It stated that criminal gangs masquerading as transport operators have turned routine commuting into a life-threatening gamble, making ordinary citizens, workers, and professionals targets on the city’s roads.
Osigwe described the killing of Princess Chigbo Mediatrix as particularly painful for the legal community, noting that she was a committed member of the Bar whom he knew personally. He said her death was not only a professional loss but a deeply personal blow, underscoring that lawyers—like all Nigerians—remain dangerously exposed in an environment where criminals operate with impunity.
The NBA warned that the murders represent more than individual tragedies, arguing that they signal a broader erosion of security in the FCT. It stressed that when citizens cannot commute safely, when professionals are attacked in plain sight, and when criminal networks act unchecked in the nation’s capital, the foundations of social order are severely threatened.
Calling for urgent action, the association urged the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, the Nigeria Police Force, and other security agencies to treat the situation as a full-scale security emergency. It demanded immediate, visible, and coordinated measures to dismantle “one-chance” syndicates, including intensified intelligence gathering, surveillance, policing of transport corridors, and targeted operations against known criminal networks.
The NBA also insisted on thorough, transparent, and time-bound investigations into the killings, warning that failure to deliver justice would deepen public fear and embolden criminal elements. It emphasized that justice must not only be promised but must be seen to be done, with perpetrators, collaborators, and enablers identified, arrested, and prosecuted.
Reaffirming the state’s duty to protect lives, the association said citizens should not have to choose between earning a living and staying alive. It warned that Abuja must not become a hunting ground where criminals prey on the vulnerable while law enforcement appears distant or reactive.
The NBA extended condolences to the families of the victims, the healthcare community, the NBA Abuja Branch, and residents of the FCT. The killings have reignited public debate over safety in Nigeria’s capital, raising urgent questions about urban security, policing, public transport safety, and government accountability in protecting citizens from organized street crime.
Is Abuja Safe Anymore? NBA Raises Alarm Over Return of ‘One-Chance’ Killings After Murder of Nurse and Lawyer
The Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) has raised a grave alarm over what it described as the disturbing return of “one-chance” criminal operations in Abuja following the brutal killing of two professionals in separate incidents across the Federal Capital Territory (FCT). In a statement signed by its President, Mazi Afam Osigwe, SAN, the association warned that insecurity is once again tightening its grip on Nigeria’s seat of power.
According to the NBA, the victims were Ms. Chinemerem Pascalina Chuwumeziem, a nurse, and Princess Chigbo Mediatrix, a lawyer and former Treasurer of the NBA Abuja Branch. Both women were allegedly murdered after falling prey to criminals posing as commercial transport operators—an infamous tactic known locally as “one-chance.” Their bodies were later discovered in different parts of the city, sparking widespread fear among residents.
The association described the killings as a chilling reminder of the growing vulnerability of Abuja residents, stressing that the victims were not faceless individuals but professionals who simply intended to return home safely from their daily engagements. The NBA said the incidents had plunged the capital into grief and exposed a dangerous deterioration in public safety.
Condemning the attacks in the strongest terms, the NBA warned that the pattern of “one-chance” crimes could no longer be ignored. It stated that criminal gangs masquerading as transport operators have turned routine commuting into a life-threatening gamble, making ordinary citizens, workers, and professionals targets on the city’s roads.
Osigwe described the killing of Princess Chigbo Mediatrix as particularly painful for the legal community, noting that she was a committed member of the Bar whom he knew personally. He said her death was not only a professional loss but a deeply personal blow, underscoring that lawyers—like all Nigerians—remain dangerously exposed in an environment where criminals operate with impunity.
The NBA warned that the murders represent more than individual tragedies, arguing that they signal a broader erosion of security in the FCT. It stressed that when citizens cannot commute safely, when professionals are attacked in plain sight, and when criminal networks act unchecked in the nation’s capital, the foundations of social order are severely threatened.
Calling for urgent action, the association urged the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, the Nigeria Police Force, and other security agencies to treat the situation as a full-scale security emergency. It demanded immediate, visible, and coordinated measures to dismantle “one-chance” syndicates, including intensified intelligence gathering, surveillance, policing of transport corridors, and targeted operations against known criminal networks.
The NBA also insisted on thorough, transparent, and time-bound investigations into the killings, warning that failure to deliver justice would deepen public fear and embolden criminal elements. It emphasized that justice must not only be promised but must be seen to be done, with perpetrators, collaborators, and enablers identified, arrested, and prosecuted.
Reaffirming the state’s duty to protect lives, the association said citizens should not have to choose between earning a living and staying alive. It warned that Abuja must not become a hunting ground where criminals prey on the vulnerable while law enforcement appears distant or reactive.
The NBA extended condolences to the families of the victims, the healthcare community, the NBA Abuja Branch, and residents of the FCT. The killings have reignited public debate over safety in Nigeria’s capital, raising urgent questions about urban security, policing, public transport safety, and government accountability in protecting citizens from organized street crime.
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