The Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) has called for urgent and decisive action against criminal syndicates involved in “one chance” operations following the killing of two professionals in separate incidents.
The victims, Ms. Chinemerem Pascalina Chuwumeziem, a nurse, and Princess Chigbo Mediatrix, a lawyer and former Treasurer of the NBA Abuja Branch, were reportedly murdered after falling prey to criminals posing as commercial transport operators.
Their bodies were later discovered in different parts of Abuja.
In a statement issued by the NBA President, Mazi Afam Osigwe, SAN, described the killings as senseless and horrifying, warning that the apparent return of “one chance” crimes signalled a dangerous deterioration of security in the nation’s capital.
He said, “These were not faceless victims. They were professionals and contributors to society whose only intention was to return safely from their daily engagements.
“Their deaths underscore a frightening reality that insecurity is once again tightening its grip on Abuja.”
He noted that the city awoke to fear and sorrow as news of the killings spread, stressing that one of the victims devoted her life to saving others as a healthcare worker, while the other served the legal profession with dedication and integrity.
According to the NBA, the incidents are not isolated but part of a growing pattern in which criminal gangs masquerading as commercial drivers have turned daily commuting into a deadly gamble for residents.
“The pattern is no longer deniable. Criminal gangs, masquerading as commercial transport operators, have turned daily commuting into a deadly gamble. This situation is intolerable in any society that claims to be governed by law,” the statement read.
Osigwe said the murder of Princess Chigbo Mediatrix was deeply personal to the legal profession, describing her as a committed member of the Bar who served the NBA Abuja Branch with distinction.
“Her death is therefore not only a professional loss but a painful personal blow, and a stark reminder that lawyers, like all Nigerians, remain dangerously exposed in an environment where criminals act with impunity and citizens move in fear,” he said.
The NBA warned that the loss of the two lives went beyond personal grief and represented a serious erosion of public safety, adding that when citizens cannot commute safely and criminals operate unchecked, the foundations of social order are threatened.
The association called on the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, the Nigeria Police Force, and other relevant security agencies to treat the situation as a security emergency.
According to the association, Immediate, visible, and coordinated action is required to dismantle these criminal networks. Intelligence gathering, surveillance, policing of transport corridors, and targeted operations against known “one chance” syndicates must be intensified without delay.
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The NBA also demanded thorough, transparent, and time-bound investigations into the killings, insisting that all those responsible — whether as perpetrators, collaborators, or enablers — must be identified, arrested, and prosecuted.
“Justice must not only be promised; it must be delivered,” Osigwe said, warning that failure to act decisively would further embolden criminal elements and deepen public fear.
The NBA stressed that citizens should not have to choose between earning a living and staying alive, adding that the FCT must not become a hunting ground for criminals.
The association extended condolences to the families of the victims, the healthcare community, the NBA Abuja Branch, the wider legal profession, and residents of Abuja, noting that the deaths must serve as a turning point rather than fading into statistics or forgotten headlines.
