Female lawyers under the International Federation of Women Lawyers (FIDA) have urged the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, and security chiefs to declare a state of emergency over the menace of ‘one-chance’ vehicle operators in Abuja.
The call followed the brutal killings of a nurse, Chinemerem Chuwumeziem, and a senior legal practitioner, Princess Chigbo Mediatrix, allegedly by suspected one-chance operators in the FCT.
FIDA made the demand on Thursday while addressing journalists in Abuja. The body of the slain lawyer was reportedly dumped by the roadside days after the nurse was murdered.
Speaking on behalf of the association, Chairperson of FIDA Abuja, Mrs Chioma Onyenucheya-Uko, described the incidents as a damning reflection of worsening insecurity in the nation’s capital.
She said Abuja should symbolize safety, order, and the rule of law, not fear and lawlessness.
“While we mourn with the families and loved ones of our fallen colleague, we condemn this heinous act in the strongest terms,” Onyenucheya-Uko said.
“No society governed by law should tolerate the abduction and murder of citizens, especially in its capital.”
She stressed that the killings were not isolated incidents but part of a persistent pattern of one-chance attacks, despite repeated public complaints and media reports.
According to her, sympathy alone is no longer enough, urging authorities to take swift and visible action.
FIDA called on Wike to immediately declare a security emergency against one-chance operators and set up a dedicated task force to dismantle their networks.
The group also demanded the urgent installation of functional CCTV cameras along major transport routes, drop-off points, and known hotspots.
It further urged strict regulation and sanitisation of commercial transport, including proper identification, registration, and monitoring of operators.
FIDA also tasked the police, DSS, NSCDC, and other agencies with intelligence-led patrols, stop-and-search operations, and covert surveillance along identified routes.
The association insisted on prompt arrests, thorough investigations, and diligent prosecution of perpetrators and their collaborators.
It also urged the judiciary to ensure speedy trials of such cases to deter future crimes.
“The safety of citizens is not optional. It is a constitutional obligation,” Onyenucheya-Uko said.
She warned that attacks on officers of the court send a chilling message to residents, especially women and vulnerable commuters.
“FIDA Abuja will not be silent. We will continue to demand accountability until this scourge ends,” she added.
“We honour our fallen colleague with resolve. Enough is enough.”
