The family of Freda Arnong, a young Abuja resident who died following a brutal attack by suspected “one chance” criminals, is demanding justice as her assailants remain at large.
Freda, who had just returned from a house fellowship near the CBN Institute in Maitama, boarded what appeared to be a commercial taxi along the Transcorp Hilton Road around 7:00 pm on Monday, July 1. Unknown to her, it was a deadly trap.
Narrating the incident on Facebook, her brother, Arnold Arnong, described the harrowing ordeal that led to her death, revealing how Freda was blindfolded, beaten, and tortured by her assailants who attempted to extort N10 million from her.
“She was not a tech-savvy person,” Arnold wrote. “She did her banking physically and had misplaced her ATM card weeks earlier. That enraged them even more.”
Unable to extract money from her, the attackers reportedly intensified their assault, threatened to dismember her, and later dumped her near the Moshood Abiola Stadium around 11:00 pm — battered and alone.
Attempts to flag down help failed, until a local vigilante found her and rushed her to the National Hospital in Abuja.
Medical reports showed she had sustained multiple broken ribs, lacerated lungs, kidney injuries, and severe internal bleeding. Despite emergency care, Freda succumbed to her injuries in the early hours of Sunday, July 7.
“Her only crime,” Arnold lamented, “was living in a beautiful city plagued by a broken system.”
The Arnong family is calling for a full investigation to bring Freda’s killers to justice and urging the government to implement a technology-driven commuter safety system.
“How long will we keep losing innocent lives to ‘one chance’ gangs?” Arnold asked.
He noted that “When will our leaders prioritize the safety of citizens using public transport? We need a real-time driver and vehicle verification system. We must end this nightmare.”
The appeal for justice has since gained traction online, with many calling for a crackdown on the notorious criminal syndicates that have turned public transport into a death trap.
