Jennifer Elohor, the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) member assaulted in Anambra State, has recounted her July 23 ordeal in the hands of men she later identified as members of the Anambra Vigilante Group.
Her story was shared by an X (formerly Twitter) user @ Chude on Thursday.
The incident, according to her, occurred on July 23, around 5 p.m., at her lodge in a three-storey building where she and other corps members reside.
Elohor said the trouble started when men in plain clothes knocked repeatedly on their door and, after receiving no immediate response, forcefully kicked it open. She said one of them, masked and armed with a gun but without any form of identification, ordered the corps members to step outside.
“At first I thought they were armed robbers because there was no introduction. It was only after we were dragged downstairs that we saw their vehicle and realized they were Anambra vigilante operatives,” she explained.
According to her, despite showing them NYSC identity cards and even offering to present their online service portal, the vigilante operatives accused the corps members of internet fraud and ignored their explanations.
“They became very aggressive, asking what gave us the right to question them. They almost pushed me down the stairs and said I was too bold for a woman,” Elohor recalled.
She alleged that the operatives descended on her when she insisted on contacting her Local Government Inspector (LGI) or lodge proprietor before following them.
“That was when they started beating me. They tore my clothes, pressed my neck inside their vehicle and threatened to smash our phones. Even my colleague who pleaded with them was beaten with an iron rod,” she narrated.
Elohor said she was eventually forced into their vehicle without being allowed to change or notify anyone of her whereabouts.
Reacting to the national outrage that trailed the barbaric action of the vigilante operatives who brutally attacked the corps member who was also stripped naked, Anambra State Governor, Charles Soludo, ordered the arrest of those involved and they were rounded up and handed over to the Police for investigation and prosecution.
He said that the government made restitution to those affected by the actions of the state security operatives.
However, speaking on Arise Television’s Prime Time programme on Wednesday, Soludo explained that the assault, which occurred on July 23, was immediately addressed by security operatives who arrested the culprits and provided medical attention to the victim.
The governor said some restitution was made, including compensation for damaged phones belonging to the victim and others.
“The briefing I got was that her phone was damaged. Some others’ phones were damaged in the process, and there was some restitution to that effect.
“She was taken care of medically, and those guys were apprehended, first suspended, and the investigation ongoing,” Soludo said.
Soludo noted that the victim’s family had initially declined prosecution “for whatever private considerations” but later changed their stance.
He said he had received a letter from the state NYSC director on Tuesday, indicating the family’s readiness to proceed with the case.
Soludo condemned the assault, describing the video footage of the incident as “despicable and outrageous.” He stressed that no one deserved such treatment under any circumstance.
“I have four beautiful daughters, and I couldn’t imagine that happening to any of them. Whatever the crime, you arrest and prosecute, but nobody should be brutalized,” he said, adding that the state government would ensure due process of law.
Recall that following the viral video of the incident, that both the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), Mr Peter Obi of the Labour Party, Prof Joy Ezeilo, SAN, and several other Nigerians have condemned the incident, demanding justice for the victim.
Peter Obi, in his reaction, said: “As an Anambrarian myself, I feel not only ashamed but also deeply heartbroken that such cruelty could happen in 2025, in a society that ought to have advanced beyond such barbarous acts.
“I strongly condemn this act of primitive wickedness and savagery. No society should ever tolerate the abuse, humiliation, and dehumanization of its citizens, least of all the vulnerable and women. What happened is not only a violation of law and morality, but also a direct assault on our collective humanity. That young girl could have been anyone’s daughter, sister, or even mine.
“We must awaken our conscience and work collectively to build a society where justice is swift, compassion is active, and the dignity of every human being – especially the young and vulnerable – is inviolable. To do anything less is to endanger the very fabric of civilisation.”
