The Foundation for Environmental Rights, Advocacy & Development (FENRAD) has strongly condemned the brutal assault of a serving National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) member, Ms. Jennifer Elobor, by operatives of a local security outfit in Anambra State.
Elobor was allegedly stripped and beaten by members of the Operation Udo Ga Chi security outfit, popularly known as the Agunechemba Vigilante Group, in Oba, Idemili South Local Government Area.
In a statement signed by Nelson Nnanna Nwafor, it’s Executive Director on Wednesday, FENRAD described the act as “inhumane, degrading and a gross abuse of authority,” noting that it violates the constitutional rights of citizens as enshrined in Section 34(1) of the 1999 Constitution (as amended), which protects against torture and inhuman treatment.
The rights advocacy group said the incident was not only an affront to Elobor’s dignity but also an attack on the ideals of national service, youth development, and women’s rights in Nigeria.
The group called for the immediate arrest and prosecution of all those involved in the assault, stressing that the case should be pursued under Nigeria’s Anti-Torture Act of 2017. It also demanded a judicial inquiry into the activities of Operation Udo Ga Chi and similar vigilante groups in Anambra and across the South-East.
FENRAD urged the Anambra State Government and the Nigeria Police Force to either restructure or disband the Agunechemba Vigilante Group if found guilty of systematic rights abuses. It further demanded a public apology and compensation for Ms. Elobor, while calling on the NYSC Directorate and relevant federal authorities to ensure corps members are adequately protected at their duty posts.
According to the group, while community-based security initiatives play an important role in local safety, they must not operate outside the law or indulge in extrajudicial practices.
“The normalization of jungle justice, sexual humiliation, and extrajudicial practices under the guise of community protection is dangerous and must be uprooted,” FENRAD said. It urged the Inspector-General of Police, the National Human Rights Commission, and civil society organizations to treat the case as a litmus test for human rights enforcement in Nigeria’s evolving security framework.
FENRAD reaffirmed its solidarity with Elobor and her family, stressing that justice for her represents justice for all Nigerians, particularly the vulnerable and those serving the nation.
The statement was signed by Comrade Nelson Nnanna Nwafor, Executive Director of FENRAD.
