The House of Representatives has raised serious concerns about the increasing insecurity in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), especially the growing number of criminal activities, known as “one chance” operations.
These are incidents where criminals pose as taxi drivers, lure unsuspecting passengers, and rob or kidnap them. The alarming rise in such cases has prompted the lawmakers to take immediate action to address the situation.
During its session on Tuesday, the House directed its relevant committees to engage key officials, including the Minister of the FCT, Nyesom Wike, the Commissioner of Police for the FCT, and the Director General of the Department of State Services (DSS).
This move came after the tragic death of Miss Nimah Sulaiman, who was killed by “one chance” criminals on October 17, 2024. Miss Sulaiman, a Legislative Aide, was abducted while on her way home from work.
The attackers forced her into their car at Bannex Junction in Wuse 2 and later demanded ransom from her family. Despite the ransom being paid in full, her life was tragically taken, and her body was found later that evening at Maitama/Minister’s Hill Bridge.
The House’s decision to summon the officials was triggered by a motion of urgent national importance brought forward by Ismail Haruna Dabo, who represents the Toro Federal Constituency of Bauchi State.
Dabo, who was Miss Sulaiman’s boss, expressed deep sorrow over her death and highlighted the increasing number of similar criminal incidents in the FCT. He emphasized the growing trend of kidnappings and armed robbery across both remote suburbs and central parts of the city.
In his motion, Dabo also pointed out that many criminals use unregistered and unpainted taxis, which makes it easier for them to carry out their crimes without being detected.
He called for a thorough investigation into the use of such vehicles in the FCT. In response, the House directed its Committee on FCT to carry out this investigation and report back within three weeks.
