It is with profound sadness and a heavy heart that I extend to you, the family of the late Princess Mediatrix Chigbo, the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), particularly the NBA Abuja Branch, where she served with distinction, and the NBA Women Forum (NBAWF), my deepest sympathies and condolences on this tragic loss.
Princess Chigbo was more than a dedicated legal professional; she was a beacon of promise, advocacy, and service in our legal community.
The brutality of her death, allegedly at the hands of suspected “One Chance” robbers along the Kubwa Expressway, is not just a personal loss for her loved ones but a stark reminder of the growing insecurity that has tragically come to define daily life for countless Nigerians, including those we least expect.
Her life was cut short on a road that should be safe, a road connecting livelihoods, families, and futures.
Yet once again, we are confronted with a fatality that echoes far beyond a single headline: a senior lawyer, a vibrant member of the NBA Abuja Branch, taken in an incident that should have been preventable with basic diligence from our security architecture.
The repeated warnings about “One Chance” operators and similar criminal threats, often targeting commuters on major routes in the Federal Capital Territory, demand more than public outrage. They demand action.
To the security stakeholders in the Federal Capital Territory and beyond, this should be a moment of serious reflection.
The continued success of mobile highway criminal operations is not merely a statistic, it is a failure in protection, intelligence, coordination, and accountability that has real human costs.
It is unconscionable that educated professionals, contributors to national development, and guardians of justice must risk life and limb simply to travel between work and home.
We call upon:
1. Security agencies to immediately intensify targeted patrols, surveillance, and community engagement along known One Chance “hot spots” and commuter routes;
2. The FCT Command and allied agencies to deploy strategic resources, including technology, reliable data analysis, and rapid response units, where they are most needed, not where it is most convenient;
3. Civil authorities to foster accountability frameworks ensuring transparency in investigations and justice for victims and families;
4. Every stakeholder in our security structure to heed this tragedy not only with sympathy but with urgency, strategy, and measurable outcomes.
Princess Chigbo’s death is not an isolated incident; it is a glaring symptom of a deeper malaise.
As we mourn her life, her contributions, her leadership, her energy, let it also be a moment that ignites tangible improvements in our national security posture.
Let her legacy be one that compels every relevant agency to confront what ought to be a “low-hanging fruit” in public safety: safe passage for citizens on our roads.
We honour her memory with grief, gratitude, and a renewed commitment to justice and security for all.
With sincere condolences and solidarity, Oyinkansola Badejo – Okusanya SAN FCIArb (Uk)
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