Anambra State Government has confirmed the arrest of several members of a state-backed security task force following a violent incident involving a female National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) member. The operatives are accused of brutally assaulting and publicly stripping the woman in the town of Oba.
The event, which occurred earlier this week, sparked widespread public outcry after a video depicting the altercation circulated extensively on social media platforms. The footage showed multiple armed personnel entering a residential lodge and accosting the corps members.
According to official accounts, the security team was pursuing suspected cultists when they entered the compound. During their search of the premises, an altercation ensued with the residents, leading to the severe mistreatment of the identified corps member, Jennifer Elobor. Witnesses and the video evidence indicate that, despite the victims presenting their official NYSC identification, the operatives physically attacked Elobor and tore her clothes.
In a televised interview, Governor Chukwuma Soludo’s Special Adviser on Community Security, Ken Emeakayi, characterized the operatives' conduct as "unacceptable." He confirmed that those involved were immediately detained upon the government's awareness of the event.
Emeakayi clarified that the operatives were part of "Operation Udo Ga-Achi," a joint security initiative that includes police, military, and other agencies, alongside the state's statutory vigilante outfit, Agunechemba. While he stated the team was acting within its mandate to pursue suspects, he emphasized that their methods in this instance were a severe overreach.
“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,” Emeakayi stated.
The state government has engaged with the victim and NYSC officials to investigate the matter fully. Emeakayi assured the public that the Soludo administration has a zero-tolerance policy for the abuse of power by security agents and that the detained operatives will face either internal disciplinary action or criminal prosecution based on the findings of the ongoing investigation.
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