The assault on a female corps member identified as Jennifer Edema Elohor and some of her colleagues by operatives of the Anambra State security outfit, codenamed, “Operation Udo-ga-achi”, has continued to generate outrage from civil society and human rights groups as well as other stakeholders across the state.
A viral video that has been circulating on social media shows the moment armed operatives of the state security outfit stormed a corps members’ lodge in Oba, Idemili South Local Government Area of the state and assaulted the female corps member.
The video, which was shared by the Haven 360 Foundation on Facebook on Monday, shows the victim, Elohor, being beaten and stripped naked by the gun-wielding men.
It was gathered that the victims were brutalised and subjected to humiliating and sexually degrading threats. The incident was said to have occurred on July 23.
The foundation wrote in part, “We strongly condemn the brutal assault and violation of the rights of the National Youth Service Corps members by operatives of the Operation Udo Ga-Achi or ‘Agunechemba Vigilante Group’ in Anambra State.
“On July 23, 2025, these state actors stormed the corpers’ lodge, accusing the members of being ‘Yahoo people’, despite their prompt production of their NYSC identification cards and uniforms.
“The assault was particularly egregious in the case of Jennifer Edema Elohor, who was beaten, stripped naked, and left exposed and covered in blood.
“The victims were subjected to unsavoury, horrible, sexually degrading words and actions, including threats of sexual violation.”
Reacting to the development, on Tuesday, the Special Adviser to Governor Chukwuma Soludo on Community Security, Ken Emeakayi, whose office oversees the security outfit, described the incident as “unfortunate and unacceptable.”
Emeakayi said even though the operatives were carrying out their lawful duties, they went overboard, adding that the operatives involved in the assault had been arrested and are currently under investigation.
He also clarified the distinction between “Operation Udo-ga-chi” and Agbunechemba, noting that the former is a joint security operation involving multiple agencies, while the latter is the state’s statutory security outfit created by law.
He assured residents of Anambra that the Soludo administration would not condone any abuse of power by security agents, particularly against innocent citizens.
He said, “The ‘Operation Udo-ga-chi’ is a code name for joint task force operations involving the police, army, Department of State Services, civil defence, and the state’s security outfit.
“The incident occurred during a joint security operation when operatives of Agunechemba, the state security outfit established under the Anambra State Homeland Security Law 2025, pursued suspected cultists into a residential compound.
“The operatives were on the trail of some suspected cultists riding on motorcycles when they pursued them into a compound. In the process of searching the houses in line with their mandate, the unfortunate incident involving the corps member occurred.”
Emeakayi said while they were acting within the law, their conduct in that instance was unacceptable, adding that the government wasted no time in addressing the matter once it was reported.
“Immediately the incident happened, we arrested the operatives involved and placed them in detention. Our practice is to first carry out preliminary investigations, bring in the victims and complainants, and then determine whether the matter warrants internal disciplinary action or prosecution.
“The assaulted corps member was invited to my office alongside the NYSC officials, where I personally listened to their account of the incident.
“Our conclusion is that while the operatives were on a legitimate assignment, the manner in which they acted was not acceptable. We have made that very clear, and disciplinary measures are being taken.”
Also reacting to the development, the Anambra State Police Command condemned in strong terms the alleged assault on the female NYSC member.
The state police spokesman, SP Tochukwu Ikenga, in a press statement on Tuesday, confirmed that the suspects involved in the incident had been identified.
Ikenga pointed out that the victim’s unavailability temporarily stalled the ongoing investigative process.
“Meanwhile, the command has reiterated that assault in any form remains a criminal offence under the Nigerian Law and reserves the right to take necessary legal action to aid the court proceedings while waiting for the victim.
“The command hereby reassures corps members serving across the state of its unwavering commitment to their protection, urging them to always report incidents of harassment, intimidation, or abuse for prompt intervention.
“The command further cautions vigilante groups and other quasi-security outfits against acts of brutality or abuse of authority, warning that any such misconduct will not be condoned,” he added.
Meanwhile, the National Coordinator, Human Rights Writers Association of Nigeria, Emmanuel Onwubiko, in a statement on Tuesday, stressed that Soludo must take personal responsibility for the flagrant disregard for the rule of law and the widespread human rights violations by operatives of the armed security agents, especially the largely untrained and unprofessional vigilantes.
Onwubiko added that the alleged humiliation and physical torture of a youth corps member, who is in Anambra State to serve her fatherland, must be the last, urging the government to set up a disciplinary agency similar to the Police Service Commission’s to oversee the operation of security agencies in Anambra State.
“Even as the Anambra State Government has condemned the assault on a National Youth Service Corps member, Jennifer Elobor, by members of the state security outfit, and those responsible have been identified, arrested and detained, the state governor must take personal responsibility for the flagrant disregard for the rule of law and the widespread human rights violations by operatives of the armed security agents especially the largely untrained and unprofessional vigilantes.
“HURIWA regrets that this evil maltreatment of a youth corps member by the Anambra State-sponsored armed vigilantes is not the first time, just as we assert that the armed vigilantes operate like primitive brutes with no regard for the fundamental human rights of the citizens.
“These vigilantes with poor training are behaving like wild animals and are responsible for some of the most primitive abd despicable crimes against innocent traders in the different cities and towns of Anambra State without the governor taken any measures to rein them in and compel them to abide by the due process of the law since Anambra State is neither a zoo nor animal farm.
PUNCH.
