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.
(The Nation)
