Robbers operating in vehicles known as “One-chance” have become one of the most prevalent crimes in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) and its environs,
a crime hitherto common in Lagos State.
This is as their nefarious activities have continued to make headlines on a daily basis in various media outlets as well as social media.
The activities of these criminal syndicates, who often disguise as legitimate taxi drivers and passengers, have become a threat and nightmare to users of public transportation in the FCT and its environs.
Findings by Persecondnews revealed that although no part of FCT is completely free from this menace, reports have shown that the Kubwa Express road, Gwarimpa Express, Nicon junction, Berger to Area 1/ Apo Road, Lugbe expressway, Airport road, Dei Dei/Zuba road and Kubwa- Dutse/Bwari road are hot spots.
The daredevils are usually armed with lethal weapons ranging from daggers, knives, guns, and hypnotising powder, which they use to assault and rob unsuspecting passengers of their money, and other valuable items before pushing them out of their moving vehicle.
Persecondnews recalls the recent sad incident of a human resources consultant and member of the Yali network in Abuja, Greatness Olorunfemi, who met her untimely death after her encounter with the notorious ‘one-chance’ syndicate in Abuja.
Ms. Olorunfemi was stabbed by the criminal driver and subsequently pushed out of their moving vehicle.
Unfortunately, she lost her life after being left untreated at the Maitama General Hospital due to lack of a police report.
Victims share their stories
A victim, Favor Ogwuche, who narrated her ordeal in the hands of these daredevils to Persecondnews, said she entered their vehicle from NICON junction to Kubwa.
“I’m usually very careful when boarding vehicles for fear of entering One-Chance, but little did I know I was about to fall victim that faithful day.
“I left the office a bit late that day; at about 6:30 pm. I spent more than 20 minutes at NICON junction trying to get a vehicle going to Kubwa. At about 7p.m, an Abuja painted vehicle, green, stopped in front of me pointing towards Gwarimpa-Kubwa axis.
“I told the driver Kubwa to be very sure he was going there and he asked me to enter.
“Before I entered the vehicle, I peeped inside to see the occupants. I saw a young guy kitted in the complete NYSC uniform sitting behind and a man holding a laptop bag sitting in front.
“I didn’t suspect anything because of the ‘youth corps member’ I saw. Immediately I entered, the driver said I should close the door that he will pick other passengers from the front that he didn’t want to waste time there.
“He drove to the front a little and picked another passenger, a lady, from ministers hill junction. I shifted to the middle and the lady entered. The driver zoomed off shortly after. My mind was more at rest when I saw a lady, little did I know they were all working together.
“We had barely gotten to Katampe, when the guy wearing NYSC uniform brought out a Knife and told me to cooperate with them or they will waste me and dump my corpse and nobody will find me.
“Before I could say anything, the lady slapped me twice and snatched my bag. The guy in front brought out a gun from the laptop bag and showed me. Everything was happening to fast that I was crying, confused and begging them not to kill me.
“They collected everything I had on me, my phones, money, laptop and my ATM cards. They asked for my ATM pin and I when I was reluctant to give them, the lady stabbed me on my right lap. At this point I had no option than to give them because I was at the verge of losing my life. When they were done, they stopped at a lonely place before Dutse junction, quickly pushed me out, and zoomed off speedily.
“A good samaritan saw me by the road with my jeans soaked in blood and took me home. it’s a terrible experience I can never forget. It’s been over eight months it happened, but anytime I see the scar on my lap, I feel like it happened yesterday.”
Recently, a female journalist with the Federal Radio Corporation of Nigeria — Kapital FM Abuja — narrowly survived the brutality of the ‘One-chance guys’.
The criminals after beating her mercilessly, collected all her valuables, including mobile phone at about some minutes past 8pm. Following her treatment at Garki Hospital, the reporter is presently recovering at home.
Also, another woman was recently robbed, kidnapped and brutally beaten with a spanner by ‘one chance’ gang in Abuja.
The victim had boarded a taxi at Gwarimpa Setraco gate, heading to Area One around 5:30 p.m. on Thursday, October 12, 2023.
A family friend of the victim, who narrated the incident, said there were three other occupants in the vehicle, two men and a woman.
The victim, however, became suspicious when the driver took another route instead of taking the turn off Kubwa Expressway. When she asked the driver why he took the wrong route, he claimed that he wanted to pick another passenger.
The woman requested that he stopped the vehicle so she could alight. Instead the criminals collected all her belongings and started hitting her on the face with a spanner.
She found herself shortly after in a bush with four other female victims. The criminals later called her family, demanding money.
“Since the family couldn’t come up with the money, the woman who happened to be the leader of the syndicate instructed them to pluck out her eyes.
She was dumped at Apo, where a good Samaritan found her, called her family on phone and they took her to the hospital.
These are just a few out of the many that have fallen victim to their ruthlessness.
Commuters express fear
Commuters in FCT have expressed fear over the surge of ‘one chance’, with some blaming the “ember months” and the economic situation of the country for the increase.
Speaking exclusively with Persecondnews, a civil servant, Jasmine Nandang, who usually board vehicle to work from Federal Housing bridge, Kubwa, said she stopped boarding vehicley from Phase III junction to avoid falling victim to ‘one-chance’ as they are usually very few people at the bus stop.
“I prefer boarding a vehicle to work from here because there are usually a lot of people here, and most of the vehicle Park well for the people in charge of loading to call passengers for them.
” They don’t leave until their vehicle is full. This makes me feel safer here, than phase three which is a stone throw from my house.
“Phase three is close to my house; it’s even trackable, but there are usually very few cummuters there, sometimes you may even end up being the only one. That is why I don’t like that place.
“They probability that you will enter ‘one chance’ there is high because since you’re alone, and a lady for that matter, you become a target. I’m scared of those people because I have heard about the unthinkable things they do to their victims,” Miss Nandang said.
Also speaking from same bus stop, an entrepreneur, Mrs. Favour Usolo, said she has become very conscious of the vehicles she boards because she is scared of falling a victim.
“These people have long been operating in Abuja, but not as many as they are now. I think this Ember period and hardship is the reason for the increase. I always advice people to be very vigilant this period, especially when boarding vehicles.
“These people are heartless and have no human sympathy. I have never fallen victim to ‘one chance’ and don’t pray to.
I always board vehicles from busy bus stops and I avoid standing in isolation for my safety,” Usolo said.
FCTA introduces Public Transport Management Scheme to tackle menace
A new Public Transport Management Scheme (PTMS) that will guarantee an organised and secure Public Transportation Network in the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja, is about to be implemented by the Federal Capital Territory Administration as part of its ongoing commitment to safety and orderliness in the public transportation sector.
The Director, FCT Directorate of Road Traffic Services ( DRTS), Dr. Bello Abdul-Laleef, who made this disclosure at a one day sensitisation summit for App- Based Drivers in Abuja, said that the partnership with Bolt Nigeria is a shared commitment to safety, orderliness and progress.
”The journey towards PTMS has been characterised by extensive efforts which includes the meticulous review of Transport Regulations, the establishment of a robust technology platform, licensing of operators, integration with allied operator platform and intensive Staff training,” he said.
According to Abdul-Laleef, the aim of the Public Transport Management Scheme which will be launched before the end of 2023, is to ensure that each App- Based Driver effectively comprehends their regulatory responsibilities, thereby ensuring a culture of compliance and safety.
Shedding more light on the scheme, the Assistant Director, PTMS, Mr. Babawale Olalekan Durojaye said “One-Chance” and majority of crimes perpetrated within the city are done using vehicles, pointing out that it is the reason government’s attention is focused on the safety of the passengers.
Durojaye said there are three components in the transport environment — the Driver, the Vehicle and the Environment — adding that having a national driver’s licence does not make one a good driver.
“We have a training School here where we train Drivers after which we capture their biometrics. We have MOU with National Identity Management Council which ensures that we have the right information.
“We are working towards a data based of all commercial and E- hailing Drivers in the FCT”.
The Assistant Director said the focus is on safety of lives, as passengers will be able to crosscheck the information of the Driver coming to pick them through an app that can be downloaded on the Phone, adding that every driver who wants to drive on commercial basis must be registered with a licensed operating company.
He stressed that “the technology will merge Drivers information with his Vehicle so that if the information of the driver cannot be found, then it means it is not safe to board such a Vehicle.”
“The Public Transport Management Scheme is a welcome development in quest to make Abuja a smart city. When fully operational, it will reduce vehicular based crimes and ensure safety and sanity on our road.”
FCT Minister sets up joint task force
Meanwhile, the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, has set up a joint task force to tackle the menace of ‘one-chance’ robbers in the nation’s capital.
The Commissioner of Police, FCT Command, Haruna Garba, who disclosed this after a recent Security Council meeting with the FCT minister, noted that the task force will comprise all security agencies in the FCT.
Garba said the FCT Security Council meeting, chaired by Wike, discussed ways to eradicate criminal elements in the FCT, stop cross-border crimes and curb the menace of ‘one chance’.
“Consequently, it was resolved to set up a joint taskforce of all security agencies on the menace of one-chance. Also, a joint task force on cross-border crimes to tackle the issue of armed robbers, kidnappers and all forms of crimes in the FCT will be set up.
“These two security operations have commenced in earnest. We wish to assure residents of our resolve to curb all forms of criminalities in the territory,” Garba disclosed.
The police chief, who was joined by Olusola Odumosu, the FCT Commandant of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), as well as senior defence and intelligence officers, said that security agents frequently raided mechanic shops in the city based on intelligence.
FCT Police warns against boarding unpainted taxis
Meanwhile, in the wake of ‘one-chance’ brouhaha, the FCT police command has warned residents against patronizing unpainted taxis so as not to become victims.
The command advised residents to board only painted taxis from designated motor parks.
Police Commissioner Haruna Garba, who gave the advise during a press briefing, disclosed that police operatives in Abuja, while on crime prevention patrol, rescued one Ebere Alice, who boarded a Golf taxi and was robbed by the driver and his gang of her belongings before dropping her off.
According to him, the suspects were arrested after the police gave them a hot chase before halting the vehicle.
“The suspects include Sylvester Attah, the gang leader, who has been into One Chance robbery for the past three years, Olalekan Salihu, and Gabriel Okwashi.
“The suspects confessed to the crime and the Golf car with Reg. No TKP 624 AA used in committing the crime was recovered. Suspects will be arraigned in court at the conclusion of investigation.
“I wish to advise residents of the FCT to be wary of the kind of vehicles they board. It is advised that they should board only painted taxis from designated motor parks.
“It is risky to board an unpainted taxi otherwise known as ‘kabu-kabu’, as you may fall victim to these robber,” he said.
In a similar development, Garba said the policemen from Mabushi Division, acting on credible intelligence, also arrested one Samuel Vincent, a member of a robbery gang, which specializes in robbing unsuspecting passengers of their belongings.
“The suspect was about to be lynched by an angry mob before Police intervention.
‘’The suspect, alongside three others currently at large, had picked a woman (name unknown) from Karmo heading to Lugbe, and then diverted the vehicle to Mabushi area and dispossessed the victim of her belongings.
“The suspect confessed to his involvement in the crime and the car used in perpetrating the crime has been recovered. Suspect is cooperating with the police on how to apprehend the fleeing suspects,” Garba narrated.
In the same vein, the Police Public Relations Officer of the Command, DSP Josephine Adeh, said all hands are on deck to halt the ugly development.
Addressing the ongoing situation, Adeh reassured the public, saying, “We are actively addressing this issue, and as we speak, we have made several arrests.”
She further advised FCT residents to prioritise their safety by utilising authorized motor car parks when boarding cabs or taxis, adding that “this precautionary measure aims to reduce the risk of falling victim to criminal activities often associated with unauthorized transportation services.”
Adeh restated that the Command was committed to safeguarding the well-being of the public and maintaining law and order in the city.
“We urge citizens to cooperate with the police in their efforts to create a safe and secure environment for all.”
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