THE Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Police Command said it impounded 54 vehicles allegedly used for one-chance operations across the nation’s capital within the last two weeks.
The command also apprehended several suspects who were allegedly involved in one-chance and other crimes.
Briefing journalists in Abuja on Thursday, November 16, the FCT Police Commissioner (CP) Haruna Garba said the newly inaugurated Operation Sting and Anti-One-chance Squad carried out coordinated operations and impounded the vehicles.
The CP said many of the vehicles were without number plates, some with tinted glasses, and others with number plate in front or at the back only.
“Offending drivers/owners of these vehicles will soon be arraigned in court. In addition, two locally fabricated guns, one locally made Berretta pistol, and one revolver double barrel gun with two live cartridges were recovered.
“Also recovered were three full bags of leaves suspected to be cannabis sativa and quite a number of wraps of Indian hemp and illicit drugs,” the commissioner stated.
He also claimed that the incidence of one chance, armed robbery, and abduction had reduced in the FCT since the launch of the Operation Sting and Anti-One-chance Squad.
Similarly, Garba said in the course of a joint operation with other security agencies to rid the city of criminals, 135 suspects were arrested at various black spots located at Kwali, Dutse Alhaji, Mpape, Karu, AYA, Nyaya, Karimo, Karshi, Kuje, Airport Road, Berger Roundabout, Jabi, Orozo and Mararaba.
He added that out of these numbers, 75 suspects were arraigned in court for various offences, and 65 were sentenced to pay fines ranging from N5000 – N7000, while the remaining ten were sentenced to community service.
The Police chief paraded 39 suspects who, according to him, were under interrogation and would be charged in court after investigation.
He said eight suspects were suspected to be members of one chance syndicate, as knives, handcuffs, and swords were allegedly recovered from their vehicles.
The ICIR reported that the Minister of the FCT, Nyesom Wike, set up a joint task force to tackle the menace of ‘one-chance’ robbers in the nation’s capital.
The task force comprises all security agencies in the territory.
The FCT Police CP, Garba, disclosed this on Friday, October 13, 2023, after a security council meeting with the minister.
Garba said the FCT security council meeting discussed ways to eradicate criminal elements in the FCT, stop cross-border crimes, and curb the menace of one chance.
The one-chance menace has been rife in the city, with the recent victim being Greatness Olorunfemi, a young lady who was reportedly denied treatment by the Maitama General Hospital because the sympathisers who brought her could not produce a police report.
On October 1, The ICIR detailed the law’s position, getting a Police report to treat a person needing emergency care.
In its several reports, this organisation has shown how the menace is rampant in the city.
One chance is a criminal group disguised as commercial drivers and commuters. They usually move around cabs in groups of two, three, or four, armed with weapons such as guns, knives, hammers, and other harmful objects.
They dispossess passengers of their belongings, including laptops, money, phones, and other valuables. Many of them conduct their illicit business using point of sale (PoS) machines to empty victims’ bank accounts, using force.
The FCT command’s seizure of 54 vehicles allegedly used for one chance within two weeks could validate The ICIR report on the dimensions criminalities and insecurity take in the nation’s capital.
A reporter with the ICIR
A Journalist with a niche for quality and a promoter of good governance