The tragic death of Miss Freda Arnong, a Ghanaian resident of Abuja, has reignited public anger over the growing menace of ‘one-chance’ robberies in Nigeria’s Federal Capital Territory (FCT).
Freda, who had lived and worked in the city for several years, died in the early hours of Sunday, July 7, 2025, from severe injuries sustained after being abducted and brutally attacked by robbers posing as taxi operators.
According to her brother, Arnong Arnong, Freda boarded a taxi near the CBN Institute in Maitama on July 1 after attending a house fellowship. She was blindfolded, assaulted, and pressured to grant access to her bank account.
Unable to meet their financial demands, the attackers intensified their brutality and eventually dumped her near the Moshood Abiola Stadium. Despite being rescued by a local vigilante and rushed to the National Hospital, she succumbed to her injuries days later.
Medical reports revealed she suffered multiple broken ribs, internal bleeding, kidney damage, and other critical injuries.
The Human Rights Writers Association of Nigeria (HURIWA) has condemned the incident and called for swift justice. HURIWA’s National Coordinator, Emmanuel Onwubiko, described Freda as a long-time supporter of the group and urged the government to treat ‘one-chance’ robbery as terrorism.
“Her only ‘crime’ was living in a beautiful city plagued by a broken system,” Onwubiko said.
HURIWA called for the immediate revival of the FCT CCTV security project, deployment of observatory and response points, and the implementation of a digital system to authenticate commercial drivers and vehicles in real time.
“Freda cannot die in vain. Her killers must be found and prosecuted. We must demand change,” the statement added.
