Apprehension has heightened in Nigeria’s Federal Capital Territory, FCT, Abuja, following a disturbing resurgence of deadly activities by criminal syndicates operating under the guise of commercial transport operators, popularly known as ‘One-Chance’.
DAILY POST investigations reveal a sharp spike in these incidents, particularly targeting women, sparking fresh concerns about the worsening security situation in the nation’s capital.
Just weeks after FCT Minister Nyesom Wike raised alarm over Abuja’s complex security challenges, three women have been confirmed dead in separate attacks linked to one-chance operators. Wike had warned during the defence of the FCT’s N1.78 trillion budget that the capital’s unique status — hosting the Presidency, National Assembly, and foreign missions — requires a coordinated national security response.
“You cannot talk about autonomy in a city where the President resides, where the Inspector-General of Police, the National Security Adviser, and every corporate head of the country operate from. The security of this city is not something we can handle alone,” he said at the time.
Among the recent victims is Grace Godwin, a 23-year-old petrol attendant found unconscious near Jabi on Saturday, July 12. She was reportedly thrown out of a moving one-chance vehicle and later pronounced dead at the National Hospital.
Security analyst, Zagazola Makama, described her death as a suspected case of abduction and murder. Police detectives from the Jabi Division responded to the scene, but the culprits remain at large.
Earlier, Miss Freda Arnong, a staff member of the Ghanaian High Commission in Nigeria, also died after falling victim to one-chance criminals. According to her brother, she boarded a cab at Transcorp Junction, only to be diverted to Lugbe-Airport Road where she was brutalised and thrown out. She succumbed to her injuries at the National Hospital.
While Abuja residents were still mourning Freda, the National Hospital issued a public appeal for help in identifying another unconscious female victim found along Kubwa–Deidei Road on July 8. She remains in the hospital’s trauma ICU with her identity yet unknown.
Another narrow escape was reported involving Miss Ruth Isaiku, a National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) member serving at the National Assembly. After boarding a cab from Kubwa to Keffi, she was attacked and robbed before being dumped near Maitama. A resident from Army Housing Estate, Kurudu, found her and alerted the police. She is currently receiving treatment and recovering.
Residents are increasingly fearful and angry. A teacher, Mike Divine, lamented that women appear to be primary targets. “Even with security everywhere, this evil continues. What exactly are the security operatives doing?” he questioned.
Ogbonna Joel, who lost a cousin to one-chance criminals last year, expressed deep sorrow over the latest killings. “Their families must be living in torment now, just like we did,” he said.
Emeka Chukwudi called the situation “normalised horror,” urging media houses to amplify the crisis and the police to act swiftly.
Peter Echo urged the Police and DSS to collaborate in dismantling these deadly gangs. “The National Assembly must act now — life imprisonment for one-chance crimes should be the law,” he suggested, citing a lawmaker who recently lost an aide to such an attack.
When contacted, the FCT Police Command spokesperson, Josephine Adeh, expressed frustration:
“I am tired of answering questions on this one-chance incident. We are looking for solutions. If you have any, bring it forth so we can solve this problem.”
As fear deepens and lives are lost, Abuja residents are demanding swift, decisive action to end the menace threatening the peace of Nigeria’s capital.
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