The Federal Capital Territory Police Command has rescued two suspected “one-chance” robbers from a violent mob in the Utako area of Abuja, warning residents against engaging in jungle justice.

“One-chance” is a term commonly used in Nigeria to describe organised robbery syndicates that pose as commercial drivers and passengers to lure unsuspecting victims into vehicles, where they are robbed, assaulted or kidnapped.

In a statement issued on Friday, the FCT Police Public Relations Officer, SP Josephine Adeh, said the rescue followed a distress call received by the Utako Police Division at about 11:00 a.m. on Thursday.

According to her, police operatives arrived at the scene to find an angry mob assaulting two male suspects, identified as Kefas Akaye and Uya Ugwowere, who were promptly extracted before the situation escalated into a fatal outcome.

“Preliminary investigations revealed that the rescued suspects are members of a four-man gang involved in ‘one-chance’ robbery operations within the Federal Capital Territory,” the statement said.

Adeh disclosed that further investigations showed the suspects allegedly travel from Uke in Nasarawa State to Abuja to carry out their criminal activities.
 

She added that two other gang members, identified simply as Mary and Aisha (surnames yet to be confirmed), escaped during the chaos at the scene

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While investigations continue to track down the fleeing suspects, the police command strongly condemned mob action and extrajudicial punishment.

“The Command emphasises that assaulting or lynching suspects endangers innocent lives, compromises investigations, destroys critical evidence and hampers the arrest of accomplices,” Adeh said.

“Such unlawful actions ultimately undermine the justice system and deny victims and society the benefits of lawful prosecution and possible restitution.”

The FCT Police Command urged residents to refrain from taking the law into their own hands and instead report suspicious activities to the nearest police station or security agency.

The command recalled that earlier in January, three suspects were arrested in connection with the killing of a legal practitioner, Chigbo Princess, allegedly linked to one-chance robbery operations in Abuja. Her body was reportedly found along the Kubwa Expressway, with her identity card and personal belongings recovered nearby.