The Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), FCT Council, has committed to actively supporting community policing in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) while calling on authorities to adopt a broad, multi-agency strategy to stamp out the menace of “One Chance” robberies plaguing Abuja commuters.
Council Chairman, Comrade Grace Ike made the pledge while giving her goodwill message at the FCT Police Command headquarters, where the Deputy Inspector‑General of Police, in charge of Department of Training and Development, DIG Isyaku Mohammed, was conducting an operational tour of the Command.
Comrade Ike said the press will sustain its partnership with the police to amplify verified information, sensitize the public on safety measures, and highlight successful operations that restore public confidence.
“Responsible, factual reporting helps build trust, encourages victims to report crimes, and amplifies preventive messages that save lives,” she said.
Ike raised particular alarm over “one chance” robberies, a crime pattern in which perpetrators lure unsuspecting passengers into commercial or private vehicles before attacking and robbing them, describing the trend as a worsening security threat that falls hardest on women and young commuters in Abuja.
A major obstacle to combating the crime, according to her, is chronic underreporting: many victims stay silent out of a sense of helplessness or distrust of law enforcement, allowing perpetrators to act with impunity.
To break that cycle, the NUJ FCT Chair called for a holistic response that weaves together strengthened patrols and intelligence-gathering, improved safety standards in public transport, community engagement, victim support services, and targeted media campaigns.
She stressed that journalists must be treated as genuine partners in the effort, not afterthoughts, so that verified updates reach the public swiftly, misinformation is quickly countered, and community trust in policing is steadily rebuilt.
“We need sustained collaboration across government agencies, transport unions, community leaders, and the media to close the gaps that enable these crimes,” Comrade Ike said.
She also advocated for regular structured dialogue and capacity-building sessions between journalists and police officers to deepen mutual understanding and sharpen coordinated responses to crime, and pledged that the NUJ FCT Council would maintain balanced, accountable coverage that both projects police achievments and upholds the rule of law.
Comrade Ike applauded the FCT Command for its modernisation efforts and praised its leadership, as well as the Police Public Relations Office, for maintaining an open and media friendly posture.
She welcomed DIG Mohammed’s operational tour of Zone 7 as a sign that senior police leadership remains attentive to conditions on the ground, and extended her best wishes to DIG Mohammed, FCT Commissioner of Police, Prof. Ahmed Sanusi, and their teams.
