The Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) on Thursday raised alarm over a resurgence of “one chance” criminal operations in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), following the killing of a nurse and a lawyer in separate incidents.
The victims were identified as Ms Chinemerem Pascalina Chuwumeziem, a healthcare worker, and Princess Chigbo Mediatrix, a former Treasurer of the NBA Abuja Branch. Both women were reportedly attacked by criminals posing as commercial transport operators, with their bodies later recovered in different parts of the city.
Confirming Mediatrix’s death, the FCT Police Command said investigations were ongoing to determine the circumstances surrounding the incident. Police spokesperson, SP Josephine Adeh, said discreet inquiries had commenced.
In a statement signed by its President, Mazi Afam Osigwe, SAN, the NBA said the killings had plunged Abuja into fear and mourning, warning that insecurity was tightening its grip on the nation’s capital.
Read Also:
- NBA calls for investigation, suspension of controversial Tax Reform Act
- NBA-SPIDEL installs solar borehole, offers free legal aid to 115 inmates in Uyo
- NBA gives Gov. Adeleke 7-day ultimatum to reopen courts in Osun
“These were not faceless victims. They were professionals and contributors to society whose only intention was to return safely from their daily engagements,” the statement said.
The association described the attacks as evidence of a growing security breakdown, noting that criminal gangs masquerading as transport operators had turned daily commuting into a deadly gamble.
Osigwe said Mediatrix’s death was a deep personal loss to the legal profession, citing her service to the NBA Abuja Branch with dedication and integrity.
The NBA 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 security emergency. It urged intensified intelligence gathering, surveillance of transport corridors and targeted operations against known “one chance” syndicates.
“Immediate, visible and coordinated action is required to dismantle these criminal networks. Justice must not only be promised; it must be delivered,” the statement said.
The NBA extended condolences to the families of the victims, the healthcare community and its Abuja Branch, urging authorities to ensure the deaths mark a turning point in restoring safety to Abuja.
