A female member of the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC), Jennifer Elohor, has narrated her harrowing ordeal in the hands of suspected members of the Anambra State Vigilante Group, who allegedly broke into her residence, assaulted her and her colleagues, and forcibly whisked them away. The incident, which occurred on July 13 at about 5 p.m., has sparked outrage across the country after a video of the attack went viral earlier this week.
Recounting her experience in an interview with media personality Aprokoking, Elohor said the vigilante operatives stormed their lodge, a three-storey building housing several corps members, and violently kicked open their door. She explained that a masked man armed with a gun barged into their room without identification, ordered them outside, and ignored their pleas and presentation of NYSC identity cards. Their phones and laptops were reportedly seized, while the operatives accused them of being internet fraudsters.
“They dragged us downstairs, pushed me violently, and kept asking what gave me the right, as a woman, to challenge them,” Elohor recalled. She added that when they attempted to contact their lodge proprietor or NYSC officials, the vigilante members became more brutal, beating her, tearing her clothes, and assaulting one of her colleagues with an iron rod. “They forced me into their vehicle, pressing my neck and slapping me repeatedly, while threatening to smash our phones,” she said.
The viral footage, which showed the corps member being beaten despite wearing her NYSC uniform, triggered widespread condemnation on social media, with Nigerians demanding justice and accountability. Many described the attack as dehumanising and a violation of the rights of young Nigerians serving the nation.
Reacting to the outrage, the Anambra State Government confirmed that the vigilante operatives involved have been identified, arrested, dismissed from service, and placed in detention. Authorities assured the public that investigations were ongoing and pledged that those responsible would face the full weight of the law.
