Nigeria’s capital, Abuja, is being terrorised by gangsters commonly known as ‘one-chance’ criminals who pose as commercial drivers and passengers to steal from unsuspecting citizens.

In fact, some suspects were recently arrested, according to an update from the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Commissioner of Police, Haruna Garba.

The police command has warned Abuja residents against boarding unregistered taxis. Registered taxis in the nation’s capital are coloured green for identification purposes.

However, is this enough? People no longer feel safe going about their daily activities for fear of being victims of these criminals.

The crime is typically carried out in commercial vehicles, where criminals pose as passengers before turning against other passengers in transit.

The most recent case is that of Greatness Olorunfemi who was reportedly stabbed and thrown out of a moving vehicle on 26 September, 2023, along the Maitama-Kubwa highway.

Unfortunately, she tragically lost her life after being left untreated at the hospital she was rushed to because there was no police report at the time.

Residents of Abuja are on edge due to the frightening frequency of these one-chance situations, and this calls for fast and comprehensive security police.

As many areas of the city, particularly the main road networks, are dark at night, there is no doubt that this has contributed to the surge in criminal activity. Also, the lack of closed-circuit television (CCTV) cameras has made it more challenging to find and apprehend perpetrators.

In 2018, the FCT police command established an Anti-One Chance Squad to investigate cases bordering on the activities of criminal taxi drivers; but how has this squad helped in reducing the crime?

More disheartening is a report by Sahara Reporters that police charge victims of one-chance robberies N20,000 to begin an investigation into the crime.

The FCT police command must take urgent measures to address this menace.

Photo source: The Guardian