***Condemns killing of nurse, another woman in Abuja
The Human Rights Writers Association of Nigeria (HURIWA) has described the persistent killings of residents by “one-chance” criminal gangs in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) as evidence of a collapse of leadership, poor governance and the absence of an effective preventive security strategy in Nigeria’s capital.
The civil rights group condemned the recent killing of two women, including a nurse, whose deaths it said underscored the growing insecurity confronting residents of Abuja.
In a statement issued on Wednesday by its National Coordinator, Comrade Emmanuel Nnadozie Onwubiko, HURIWA said the federal government had failed in its responsibility to safeguard lives and property in the FCT, warning that continued inaction would further embolden criminal elements.
“The daring and continuous operations of ‘one-chance’ robbers highlight a disturbing lack of leadership focus and strategic security planning in the Federal Capital Territory,” the group said.
HURIWA expressed particular outrage over the killing of Nurse Chinemerem Pascalina Chuwumeziem of the Federal Medical Centre (FMC), Jabi, whose body was reportedly dumped after she boarded public transport following her afternoon shift on January 3, 2026.
The rights group recalled that the National Association of Nigerian Nurses and Midwives (NANNM), FCT Council, had described the incident as heartbreaking and a grim reflection of the worsening insecurity faced by healthcare workers.
“The deceased nurse rendered selfless service to humanity, cared for patients, and boarded a vehicle home, only to be brutally murdered,” HURIWA said, describing the act as an assault not only on the nursing profession but on humanity.
The group also referenced the killing of another woman, identified as Princess Ochigbo, who was found lifeless by the roadside in a separate incident suspected to be linked to the same criminal networks.
HURIWA argued that these deaths were preventable and blamed what it described as the distraction of political officeholders from their core responsibility of ensuring public safety.
“The residents of Abuja have been abandoned by those entrusted with the duty of protecting lives and property,” the statement said, adding that security agencies in the FCT appeared incapable or unwilling to deploy an effective preventive strategy against the criminal gangs.
The organisation criticised the Minister of the FCT, Nyesom Wike, accusing him of being overly preoccupied with national political engagements, particularly ahead of the 2027 elections, at the expense of governance and security in the capital.
HURIWA called on President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to appoint a more focused, non-partisan technocrat to manage the FCT, arguing that the lives of residents were no longer safe under the current arrangement.
In a controversial position, the group further urged the federal government to consider granting citizens legal permits to bear arms for self-defence, citing Section 33 of the 1999 Constitution (as amended), which guarantees the right to life.
HURIWA referenced judicial precedents, including Ransome-Kuti v. Attorney-General of the Federation and Bello v. Attorney-General of Oyo State, to argue that the right to life is fundamental and that self-defence is recognised under Nigerian law.
“Where the state fails to protect lives, citizens have a constitutional right to defend themselves against unlawful violence,” the group asserted.
HURIWA warned that unless urgent and decisive steps are taken to restore security in the FCT, the capital risks becoming a symbol of governance failure rather than national unity.
