Female lawyers have expressed grief over the killing of a colleague allegedly murdered by ‘one-chance’ criminals.
The International Federation of Women Lawyers (FIDA) Nigeria, Abuja Branch, on Wednesday voiced shock and deep anger over the brutal killing of one of its senior members by suspected ‘one-chance’ operators.
The deceased, identified as Chigbo Princess Mediatrix, a well-known legal practitioner and human rights advocate, was reportedly abducted and murdered, with her corpse abandoned along a roadside in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).
Her remains were discovered along the Kubwa Expressway near Dawaki, opposite Gwarimpa Estate, by an early-morning commuter. Initial findings indicate that she may have been attacked by suspected mobile armed robbers, popularly known as ‘one-chance’ operators, who frequently prey on unsuspecting commuters across the FCT.
Signs surrounding her death suggest a violent struggle. A handbag believed to belong to the victim was recovered some distance from where her body was found, strengthening suspicions that she was robbed and possibly pushed out of a moving vehicle.
The lawyer’s killing occurred only days after the corpse of a nurse employed by the Federal Medical Centre (FMC), Jabi, was discovered by the roadside. The nurse, identified as Chinemerem Chuwumeziem, reportedly closed from her afternoon shift on January 3, 2026, boarded a vehicle homeward, but never made it back. Her body was later found abandoned along the road.
Addressing journalists at a press briefing in Abuja, the Chairperson of FIDA Abuja, Mrs Chioma Onyenucheya-Uko, described the incident as a damning reflection of worsening insecurity in the nation’s capital and demanded urgent steps to halt the surge in violent crime.
She called on the Minister of the FCT, Nyesom Wike, to immediately declare a security emergency on “one-chance” operations and to set up a multi-agency task force to dismantle the criminal syndicates behind them.
She said: “This is not just a personal tragedy. It is a searing indictment of the growing insecurity in the Federal Capital Territory, a city that ought to represent safety, order, and the rule of law.”
“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.
“It is important to note that this incident is not isolated. It forms part of a disturbing pattern of ‘one-chance’ operations that have continued unabated, despite repeated public outcries, media reports, and citizen distress. The time for expressions of sympathy has passed. What is urgently required now is decisive, coordinated, and visible action.”
The association also demanded the installation of functional CCTV cameras along major transport routes and stricter regulation of commercial transport operators.
Security agencies, including the Nigeria Police Force, the DSS, and the NSCDC, were urged to step up intelligence-led patrols, arrests, and investigations, while the justice system was called upon to ensure swift prosecution of suspects.
Onyenucheya-Uko stressed that protecting citizens, particularly women and vulnerable commuters, remains a constitutional duty.
“When officers of the court are abducted and murdered, it sends a chilling message to every resident,” she said.
FIDA Abuja further pledged to sustain its advocacy and explore legal action if necessary to ensure accountability, adding: “We honour our fallen colleague not with silence but with resolve. Enough is enough.”
