The International Federation of Women Lawyers (FIDA) Nigeria, Abuja Branch, has staged a strong protest following the brutal murder of one of its senior members by criminals suspected to be 'one-chance' operators in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).
A Heinous Crime on the Capital's Roads
The victim, Chigbo Princess Mediatrix, a prominent legal practitioner and rights advocate, was abducted, killed, and her body dumped along the roadside. Her remains were discovered on January 8, 2026, along the Kubwa Expressway, near Dawaki opposite Gwarimpa Estate, by a commuter heading to work.
Evidence suggests she fell victim to the notorious 'one-chance' armed robbers who prey on unsuspecting passengers in Abuja. The circumstances point to a violent attack. A handbag believed to be hers was found some distance from her body, indicating she was likely robbed and possibly pushed from a moving vehicle.
Part of a Disturbing Pattern of Violence
This tragic incident occurred barely days after another horrifying discovery. The body of a nurse, Chinemerem Chuwumeziem from the Federal Medical Centre (FMC) Jabi, was found by the roadside. She had finished her afternoon shift on January 3, 2026, boarded a vehicle home, but never arrived.
Speaking at a press conference in Abuja, the FIDA Abuja Chairperson, Chioma Onyenucheya-Uko, described Mediatrix's killing as a searing indictment of the escalating insecurity in the nation's capital. She called for immediate and decisive action to curb the rising wave of violent crimes.
FIDA's Demands for Immediate Security Overhaul
Onyenucheya-Uko urged the Minister of the FCT, Nyesom Wike, to declare an immediate security emergency targeting 'one-chance' operators. She demanded the establishment of a multi-agency task force to dismantle these criminal networks.
"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," she stated.
"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."
The group outlined concrete demands for authorities:
- Installation of functional CCTV surveillance along major transport corridors.
- Strict regulation of commercial transport operators.
- Intensified, intelligence-driven patrols and arrests by the Nigeria Police Force, DSS, and NSCDC.
- Speedy prosecution of offenders by the justice sector.
Onyenucheya-Uko stressed that citizen safety, especially for women and vulnerable commuters, is a constitutional obligation. "When officers of the court are abducted and murdered, it sends a chilling message to every resident," she warned.
FIDA Abuja vowed to continue its advocacy and pursue legal avenues to ensure accountability, declaring, "We honour our fallen colleague not with silence, but with resolve. Enough is enough."
