The Abuja chapter of the International Federation of Women Lawyers (FIDA) has called on the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, alongside heads of national security agencies, to declare a state of emergency over the rising threat posed by ‘one-chance’ robbers in the FCT.
The appeal comes after the brutal killings of a nurse, Chinemerem Chuwumeziem, and senior lawyer Princess Chigbo Mediatrix, whose body was later found abandoned on the roadside, sparking widespread concern over public safety.
Speaking on Thursday, January 8, FIDA Chairperson, Mrs Chioma Onyenucheya-Uko, described the incidents as a grave reflection of the growing insecurity in the capital.
“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,” Onyenucheya-Uko said.
She warned that the killings are part of a persistent pattern of attacks by one-chance operators, which have continued despite repeated public complaints, media coverage, and citizen outcry.
“The time for expressions of sympathy has passed. What is urgently required now is decisive, coordinated, and visible action,” she said, calling on Wike to, “Immediately declare a security emergency against the menace of one-chance operators within the FCT.”
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Onyenucheya-Uko urged the minister to establish a specialised taskforce dedicated to dismantling these criminal networks, and to prioritise the installation and operation of functional CCTV surveillance along major transport corridors, drop-off points, and other identified hotspots.
FIDA also demanded stricter regulation of commercial transport, including proper identification, registration, and monitoring of public and informal transport operators.
The association further called on security agencies, including the Police, Department of State Services (DSS), and the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), to conduct intelligence-led patrols, stop-and-search operations, and covert surveillance along known routes used by one-chance robbers.
FIDA emphasised that perpetrators and their collaborators must be promptly arrested, thoroughly investigated, and prosecuted, while the judiciary should ensure swift and fair disposition of cases to uphold justice and deter future crimes.
“The safety of citizens is not optional. It is a constitutional obligation! When officers of the court, defenders of rights, are abducted and murdered on the streets of the nation’s capital, it sends a chilling message to every resident, especially women and other vulnerable commuters,” Onyenucheya-Uko said.
She concluded by pledging that FIDA Abuja will continue to engage, advocate, and demand accountability until concrete measures are taken to address the threat. “We honour our fallen dearest FIDAn, not with silence, but with resolve. Enough is enough!”