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When Danger Rides Beside You: The Evolving Face of ‘One Chance’ Crime in Abuja”

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10 months ago

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Habib Yakoob

Bad boys are getting more strategic and daring in Abuja these days. The “one chance” phenomenon is being redefined. It’s no longer just about jumping into a vehicle with four suspicious-looking men or women and finding yourself the lone “customer.” These days, even when you’re surrounded by strangers who look like regular passengers, you never can tell, you could still be walking into a trap.

A couple of weeks ago, a colleague of mine was robbed in a small Golf car along the Airport Road on his way to work. When he boarded the vehicle, only the driver and a man pretending to be asleep were inside.

He entered and took a seat. Another man immediately joined him behind, while a young man entered the front seat, bringing the number of people in the vehicle, including the driver, to five. They still needed two more passengers.

The driver drove a short distance, pretending to pick up passengers. Each time someone approached, he either asked if they had change or dismissed them for flimsy reasons. It all seemed normal. Until it wasn’t.

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Eventually, he picked one man who claimed to have change. That man entered and sat behind, making four passengers in the back. Another man slipped into the front seat. They are seven now: three at the front and four behind.

A few kilometres down the road, the driver suddenly veered to the shoulder, saying he needed to check the air in his tyres. That was when the man in the front turned to the other passenger beside him and asked for his phone. The passenger looked confused, until he noticed that his once innocent-looking co-passenger was clutching a dagger tightly.

My colleague, who sat behind, was about to raise the alarm when he felt something cold and hard pressed into his ribs: it was a locally made pistol held by the half-asleep man he had met earlier behind the driver. Now fully alert, the man growled, “Oya, your phone, laptop, anything.”

Only his phone and some cash were taken. The driver had parked in a way that somehow shielded the scene from passersby. At the same time, the man who had entered last in the back was now brandishing a small knife at the third passenger, demanding his belongings too.

And that was how four bad guys including the driver strategically positioned at every exit point of the vehicle, robbed my colleague and two other passengers. After collecting their phones and money, the bandits pushed them out of the car, while the man with the gun kept pointing it at them, daring anyone to make a sound. Then they zoomed off.

Till now, I doubt whether my colleague has recovered from the shock. He still isn’t sure how he could have avoided the trap. He has since reported the incident to the police. But as he told me, “Hmm, this country? We just have to be more cautious and prayerful these days!”

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Foreign Affairs Minister Resigns to Pursue Bauchi Governorship Election

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59 seconds ago

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March 30, 2026

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By Yusuf Danjuma Yunusa

The Minister of Foreign Affairs, Yusuf Maitama Tuggar, has resigned from his position in the administration of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to pursue the governorship of Bauchi State in the 2027 election.

Tuggar submitted his resignation on Monday, in compliance with a presidential directive requiring all political appointees with electoral ambitions to vacate their posts by the March 31, 2026, deadline.

The directive, issued through the office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, George Akume, aligns with Section 88(1) of the Electoral Act, 2026, and the timetable released by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC). It affects ministers, advisers, and heads of federal agencies intending to contest in the 2027 general elections.

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Reports have it that his resignation positions him to seek the ticket of the All Progressives Congress (APC) for the Bauchi State gubernatorial race.

Tuggar’s entry is expected to significantly reshape the state’s political landscape, intensifying an already competitive contest for the APC nomination. His background as a career diplomat and serving minister is seen by political observers as a potential advantage, offering national visibility and extensive political networks.

With less than 24 hours remaining before the deadline, additional resignations from the Federal Executive Council are anticipated as other appointees move to formalize their electoral ambitions.

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Kwankwaso Officially Joins ADC

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4 hours ago

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March 30, 2026

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By Yusuf Danjuma Yunusa

Former presidential candidate of the New Nigeria Peoples Party and ex-Governor of Kano State, Senator Rabiu Kwankwaso, has officially joined the African Democratic Congress.

The former Minister of Defence also registered with the party and received his membership card on Monday at Gidan Kwankwasiyya, Miller Road, Bompai, Kano.

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Present at the event include ADC National Chairman and former Senate President, David Mark; former Sokoto State Governor, Senator Aminu Tambuwal; former Minister of Transportation, Rotimi Amaechi; former Labour Party presidential candidate, Peter Obi; Senator Dino Melaye; and former National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress, John Odigie-Oyegun, among others.

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FMBN Chairman Nasiru Gawuna Resigns, Set to Defect to ADC Amid Kano Political Realignments

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10 hours ago

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March 30, 2026

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Gawuna

 

The chairman of the Governing Board of the Federal Mortgage Bank of Nigeria, FMBN, Nasiru Gawuna, has resigned from his position.

Reports indicate that Mr Gawuna has perfected his defection deal with a former governor of Kano, Rabiu Kwankwaso, and is expected to defect to ADC on Tuesday.

In a resignation letter dated March 27, 2026, the former APC governorship candidate said his decision takes immediate effect and aligns with the President’s instruction aimed at ensuring adherence to electoral laws ahead of forthcoming political activities.

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He expressed profound gratitude to President Bola Tinubu for the opportunity to serve, describing his tenure as a privilege to contribute to the growth and development of the Federal Mortgage Bank of Nigeria and the country at large.

 

“My resignation is in strict compliance with the President’s directive requiring all political appointees to step down in accordance with the provisions of the Electoral Act,” the letter read.

Mr Gawuna also stated that he is placing his future “in the hands of Allah (SWT),” while seeking divine guidance on his next course of action.

He further assured of his commitment to a smooth transition process, noting that he would hand over all responsibilities in accordance with established procedures and directives.

Daily Nigerian

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