FOSAD, Moghalu, YPP condemn assault on NYSC member, urge govt to disband Anambra security outfit

 

By Okechukwu Onuegbu

Many prominent stakeholders in Anambra State have joined in condemning the assault on National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) member, describing the act as inhuman and despicable.

Operatives of the State security outfit named Agunaechemba has been engaging in several unethical practices since formation one of which was the recent assault on a youth corps member, Ms Jennifer Elobor.

The trending video has shown a youth corps member crying in excruciating pain as eight members of Agunaechemba drag her about, tearing her wears and hitting her heavily all over the body.

Anambra State stakeholders have variously condemned the act using interviews, press conference and press statements.

Speaking at a press conference, the Labour Party (LP) candidate for Anambra State 2025 gubernatorial poll, Chief George Moghalu, on Wednesday, urged Governor Chukwuma Soludo to disband the security operative, retrain and empower them to operate professionally and ethically.

He also called on the federal government to step into the incident so as to ensure that the culprits were prosecuted accordingly while the affected corps member should be treated and compensated.

"The Federal Government should make an official statement on this matter. That young woman is on national assignment and deserves protection from both state and federal authorities. What I saw in that video was heartbreaking. It is not just scandalous for Anambra State but for every responsible citizen of this country.

“Whatever the young lady may have done, there are lawful procedures to follow. She should have been arrested appropriately and handed over to the police—not brutalized, stripped, and humiliated in such a degrading manner," he reiterated.

Also speaking, the Young Progressive Party (YPP) governorship candidate for the November 8 poll, Sir Paul Chukwuma described it as a barbaric behaviour, recalling that the strange abuse of this lady has continued to be meted out to unsuspecting members of the public in Anambra State, to the chagrin of all sane minds.

"I am appalled by this absurdity, which has, unfortunately, become the daily experience of Ndi Anambra who are held hostage in their homeland by a security outfit set up to protect them. Notwithstanding, Professor Charles Chukwuma Soludo, the Governor of Anambra State, has never deemed it necessary to call these people to order.

"The government’s carefree attitude has further exacerbated the abuse by this setup, always in the news for extorting Ndi Anambra, killing them, or abusing them. Yet, the insecurity in Anambra State has continued to escalate with no clear end in sight. This particular incident must not be swept under the carpet, like the ones before it.

"I am calling on the Government of Anambra State to take a firm stance against these public abusers and bring them to justice. I also call on the security agencies to ensure that these abusers are not only rounded up, but are compelled to face the law," he added.

For the Forum of South-East Academic Doctors (FOSAD), it was a reprehensible act, gross violation of human rights and dignity but also a shameful stain on the image of the state. FOSAD in a statement by the President, Dr. Stephen Nwala and the Secretary General, Dr. Uzor Ngoladi said the issue raises 'profound questions about governance, accountability, and the culture of impunity that has been allowed to fester under the administration of Governor Charles Chukwuma Soludo.'

According to him, to subject a corps member to humiliation and physical abuse at the hands of a state-sanctioned vigilante outfit was not only criminal but an indictment on the state government which has, by action or inaction, failed to regulate and professionalize community security structures.

"We note with sadness that the Agunechemba Vigilante group, which operates with the backing of local authorities, has become synonymous with excesses, unchecked power, and human rights violations. The failure of Governor Soludo’s administration to put in place clear oversight mechanisms and accountability structures has emboldened these groups to operate outside the law.

"What happened to this young corps member is a reflection of deeper maladministration; a failure to prioritize citizen welfare, ensure security sector reforms, and uphold the principles of justice. Governor Soludo must understand that leadership is not only about economic reforms and urban renewal projects.

" At its core, governance is about people; their safety, their dignity, and their trust in public institutions. A government that cannot guarantee the basic protection of vulnerable groups such as students, corps members, women, and children has lost moral authority.

"FOSAD therefore demands the following: An immediate and thorough investigation into the assault, with perpetrators brought to justice swiftly and transparently. A comprehensive review of vigilante operations in Anambra State to ensure they operate within the ambit of the law and under strict supervision.

"A formal apology and compensation to the assaulted corps member to restore her dignity and reaffirm the state’s commitment to the safety of all NYSC members. A policy directive from Governor Soludo guaranteeing that no corps member in Anambra State will again be subjected to harassment, intimidation, or violence by any security outfit.

"The assault on a corps member is not an isolated event. It is symbolic of a broader decay in governance and accountability in Anambra State. Governor Soludo must act decisively to correct this perception and restore public confidence. Silence or token gestures will only deepen the growing belief that his administration has turned a blind eye to the abuse of citizens.

"FOSAD stands with the victim, with all corps members serving in the South-East, and with every citizen whose rights have been trampled upon by those who should protect them. We call on civil society, the media, and the federal authorities to hold the Anambra State Government accountable. The dignity of our youth and the future of governance in our region depend on it."

Meanwhile, the Special Adviser to Governor Chukwuma Soludo on Community Security, Mr. Ken Emeakayi, who said the incident occured on July 23 while in pursuit of suspected cultists, announced that it was “totally outside the mandate of the agency and utterly condemnable.”

According to Emeakayi, the culprits have been sacked and handed over to the law enforcement agents for proper prosecution because the administration would not tolerate any form of unprofessionalism, brutality, or abuse of office by security operatives.

He added that the agency has already settled the medical bills of the victim and replaced her damaged valuables which included laptops and phones, as well as tendered a public apology to the victim, her family, NYSC, and the general public.

That was even as the lawyer to the assaulted NYSC member, Barr. Cyrus Onu, said the perpetrators had threatened to rape and kill her for speaking out during the incident.

“They [security agents] were banging the door, and Jennifer was trying to open the door, and they just kicked the door, and it almost hit their face. Most of them were masked in mufti with guns, so you can imagine how scared the kids [corps members] were. They [security agents] didn’t give any identification. They just said, ‘Come down, come down.

" You’re all thieves! You’re all ‘Yahoo’ people!’ When they tried to drag them downstairs, Jennifer was insisting that if they must take them anywhere, they should allow them [corps members] to call their LGI [Local Government Inspector] because the corps members did not know who the operatives were,” the lawyer said on Channels Television’s The Morning Brief on Wednesday.

“That was when they started pouncing on her. They made derogatory comments, asking her who gave her the right as a lady to speak to them anyhow. They started beating her. She asked them to allow her to change into something appropriate, and they said, ‘That thing you’re trying to cover, we’ll see it today. We’ll beat you up, we’ll rape you, kill you, and dump you, and nobody can say anything,” Onu added.