Sisters In Crime: A Call For Action -By Hajia Hadiza Mohammed

The story about two sisters in Ebonyi state who are into criminal activities which featured in the news the penultimate week is as shocking as it horrifying. It was reported that the two Sisters, a Civil Defence Officer and an Immigration Officer, planned the Kidnapping of their own blood brother for thirty million Naira (N30m) ransom. Media report has it that the two sisters, Juliet Chukwu, a Civil Defence officer and Ngozi Nancy Chukwu, an Immigration officer sometime in May this year conspired with others and had their brother Mr. Friday Chukwu abducted for ransom, along the Enugu Port-Harcourt Express Way. The bubble busted when on the 14th of July, 2025, one Engr. Igwe Denis Chibueze, a Community Liaison Officer of a Chinese quarry company was also abducted in a similar fashion with a ten million (N10m) Naira ransom demanded and a security man-hunt reactivated leading to the arrest of the suspects in a hotel where they were sharing ransom money by the Anti-Cult Squad of the Enugu State Police Command. And upon further investigations it was revealed that the sisters had been linked to multiple criminal cases in Ishiagu, Ebonyi State including staged-managed kidnappings, pipeline vandalism, looting of rail lines, and alleged collaboration with Fulani herders to terrorize the local communities.

The story of the two sisters in crime is like Nollywood movie thing and it has left many Nigerians in shock. The most worrisome is the fact that the suspects are uniformed officers who should be fighting crime instead of indulging in it. So, obviously they are in crime by choice not by circumstances or condition. I am outraged that women can indulge in crimes of this scale. I have read and heard of women involvement in crime ranging from theft, harlotry to child swapping some of which were done out of ignorance or condition but not in the scale kidnapping and banditry. I will say that since the era of the notorious Ma Barker who was among the most notorious American criminal of her era, who together with her two sons of the Barker Gang planned numerous robberies, murders and kidnappings with her gang until she was killed by the FBI in 1935, have I heard of this kind of gory tale about woman involvement in crime of this magnitude.

As an advocate who is interested in the vulnerable group, the right of women and women empowerment, I find the case very distressing especially because of the status of those involved. Psychologically, men because of societal pressure and masculinity are thought to be more prone to violent crime not women but it seems women are becoming susceptible to violent crimes these days also. Women are thought to be tender, soft, kind and emotional. They are trained to love and care and not to kill. If a woman who is expected to nurse and nurture children could conceive such violent crimes what hope is there for humanity?

Clearly, there are many issues that require attention in the case of Juliet and her sister in crime, Nancy. One salient issue here is that most of the crime associated with robbery, kidnapping and banditry in the country are done with the active connivance of the nation’s security operatives. Violent crimes are multiplying in the country because those who should be used to combat it are deeply involved in it. The government and those in authority must do something about it if the problem of insecurity in the land must be tackled.

Secondly, the government must do something about the recruitment process into security services. There have been complaints from members of the public about the flawed recruitment processes into civil service especially security services that is steeped with nepotism and favoritism. When you recruit unqualified candidate, they will compromise the system. It is garbage-in-garbage-out: simple! Security service is a serious matter and the process of recruitment should include proper screening of prospective applicants. It should not just be a matter of political connection and settlement. If the sisters-in-crime were properly screened, it is possible that they were probably call-girls or involved in one form of dubious trade or the other before their recruitment. When you recruit a criminal into the security services, you are giving him weapons to advance his criminal activities.

Furthermore, the story also confirm by fears about the intractable problem of banditry and “herdsmenism” in the country. I have always believed that the invasion of our territories by the foreigners from the Sahel Region cannot be as it is today without the active connivance of our people. The greedy Nigerians have taken the advantage of this unfortunate situation to terrorize the country while they blame it all on herdsmen.

On this note, I condemn in totality the actions of Juliet and her sister-in-crime Nancy and recommend that they be fully investigated and if found guilty should be made to face the full weight of the law. While I advocate for women empowerment, I should also advocate that those Jezebels among the women who wilfully indulge in criminal activities should be fished out and punished accordingly.

Hajia Hadiza Mohammed 

hajiahadizamohammed@gmail.com

An actress, social activist, politician

London, UK