THE family of Freda Arnong, a young lady killed by a ‘one chance’ criminal group in Abuja, has demanded justice for the deceased from the Nigerian government.
The deceased sister, Arnong Titus Ememobong, narrated the tragic death of her sister on Facebook, on Monday, July 8.
She called for the implementation of a driver and vehicle authentication transport system in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) to curb the menace of one chance in the city.
“On July 1, 2025, my sister, Freda Arnong, closed from her house fellowship near the CBN Institute, Maitama, Abuja. She lived on Pope John Paul Street and, like any normal evening, boarded a taxi around 7:00 pm along the Transcorp Hilton road — unaware that it was a ‘one chance’ vehicle,” she said.
She said according to Freda’s account, the moment she boarded the vehicle, she was blindfolded and viciously beaten.
“They demanded access to her phone and ordered her to open her bank app. Freda was not a technology enthusiast — she preferred handling her banking in person. She had also misplaced her ATM card two weeks earlier and had not replaced it.
“Frustrated that they couldn’t access her money, the attackers intensified their assault. She even suggested calling her boss to transfer the ₦10 million they demanded — but they refused. Instead, they threatened to mutilate her and sell her body parts.
“They drove her around the city for hours, brutalizing her, until they finally threw her out of their vehicle around 11:00 pm near the Moshood Abiola Stadium,” she said.
Ememobong noted that Freda was rescued by a local vigilante who rushed her to the National Hospital, Abuja.
“Scans and X-rays revealed multiple broken posterior ribs, lung lacerations, kidney damage, internal bleeding, and injuries to her eyes and heart. Despite every effort, my sister passed away at 3:00 am on Sunday, July 7, 2025” she added.
She urged authorities to establish a platform that would allow commuters to verify the identity and registration of commercial vehicles and their driver before boarding.
“What crime did Freda Arnong commit? Her only ‘crime’ was living in a beautiful city plagued by a broken system. How long will we keep losing innocent lives to the ‘one chance’ criminal syndicates? When will public transportation be safe for everyone? When will our leaders prioritise technology-driven transport safety?” she asked.
While many users offered condolences for her loss, others shared their harrowing experiences with one chance in the FCT.
The ICIR reached out to the FCT Police Public Relations Officer, Josephine Adeh, via phone call and direct message to confirm the incident but did not receive a response as of the time of filing this report.
Freda’s death occurred less than two years after another young lady, Greatness Olorunfemi, was killed by one chance in the city.
Many FCT residents have been victims of the criminal group.
One chance robbers operate using dangerous weapons, including knives, cutlasses and guns.
They operate with point-of-sale (POS) machines, which they use to empty their victims’ accounts.
While some of their victims have been unlucky to escape death, others who did have lost valuables and sustained injuries.
The ICIR reported late last year that the FCT police command launched a clampdown on the group.
In February, this organisation reported that a mob killed two of the criminals along the Airport Road.
The ICIR also reported how stakeholders were divided over the transport system in the nation’s capital. The poor transport system, worsened by the high cost of transportation, helps the criminal group to continue its business.
Despite promises by the Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) to ban unpainted taxis, which are mostly used for crime, the Administration has failed to stop such vehicles.
While the city’s population keeps ballooning, scores of high-capacity public buses meant for commercial transportation have rotten away in the FCT.
Nanji is an investigative journalist with the ICIR. She has years of experience in reporting and broadcasting human angle stories, gender inequalities, minority stories, and human rights issues. She has documented sexual war crimes in armed conflict, sex for grades in Nigerian Universities, harmful traditional practices and human trafficking.