Soludo Sacks 8 Vigilante Officers Over Assault on Female Corps Member in Anambra

Governor Chukwuma Soludo of Anambra State has ordered the immediate dismissal of eight vigilante operatives involved in the brutal assault of a serving female member of the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC), Miss Edema Jennifer Elohor, in Oba, Idemili South Local Government Area.

The dismissal was announced on Wednesday in Awka by the governor’s Special Adviser on Community Security, Ken Emeakayi, who also revealed that the state government had fully covered the victim’s medical expenses, replaced her damaged belongings, and issued a formal apology to both her family and the NYSC.

Emeakayi stated that the vigilante officers — members of the Operation Udo Ga-Achi (also known as the Agunechemba Vigilante Group) — acted outside the boundaries of their duties under the false pretense of pursuing suspected cultists. He confirmed that the dismissed operatives would be handed over to the police for prosecution.

“The Soludo administration will not tolerate any form of unprofessionalism, brutality, or abuse of office by security operatives. Any officer found guilty of misconduct will face immediate dismissal and prosecution,” Emeakayi said, adding that the case would serve as a benchmark for reforming community security operations across the state.

The assault, which sparked nationwide outrage after a viral video showed the corps member being beaten and stripped naked despite presenting valid NYSC identification, has also drawn condemnation from lawmakers.

Senator Ede Dafinone, representing Delta Central Senatorial District, described the attack as “barbaric, inhuman, and a disgrace to national service.”

“No Nigerian citizen, much less a young lady serving her fatherland, should ever be subjected to such dehumanising treatment,” Dafinone said in a statement.

He called for the immediate arrest and prosecution of the perpetrators to serve as a deterrent, and urged the Anambra State Government to compensate Miss Elohor for the trauma and damages suffered.

The senator also appealed to NYSC authorities to implement stronger protective measures for corps members posted to Anambra, insisting that the trust of parents must not be betrayed through official negligence.

As of press time, attempts to confirm whether the dismissed vigilante operatives had been transferred to police custody were unsuccessful, as calls and messages to the state Police Public Relations Officer, SP Tochukwu Ikenga, went unanswered.