Edema Jennifer, a serving member of the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) in Anambra State with state code AN/24C/0626, has recounted a harrowing experience of physical assault and harassment carried out by operatives of the Agunechemba Vigilante Group in Oba, Idemili South Local Government Area (LGA).
Earlier, New Daily Prime reported that the management of the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) condemned the act and reaffirmed its zero tolerance for intimidation and harassment of corps members.
Also, the state Police Command has reacted to the incident, vowing that justice will be served.
READ ALSO: NYSC reaffirms zero tolerance for intimidation, harassment of corps members
According to a viral video posted on X (formerly Twitter), Jennifer disclosed that the incident, which occurred on 23 July at about 5 p.m., took place at a three-storey building occupied by some corps members.
The assaulted corps member said she and her colleagues were in their room charging their phones when they heard repeated knocks at the door.
She added that they initially ignored the knock thinking it was their neighbours.
“The knocks soon became more aggressive. Before I got to the door, it was kicked in. If I had moved closer, the door would have hit me,” she said while revealing that on the other end of the door was a masked man with a gun.
“He wasn’t wearing any form of uniform—whether military or plain uniform. No form of identification. At first, I was afraid that it was an armed robber until I heard him say, ‘All of you outside,’” Jennifer narrated.
She noted that the masked man allegedly ordered them outside without explanation.
The corps members insisted they were all NYSC members, offering to present their ID cards and even log into the NYSC portal for verification.
However, the men, later identified as operatives of the Anambra Vigilante Group, ignored their pleas and allegedly became violent.
“They even forced themselves inside our room to pack our laptops and phones and everything, accusing us of being internet fraudsters.”
She further noted in the video that when they were trying to explain and identify themselves as serving corps members, they were all pushed downstairs forcefully.
“They almost pushed me down the staircase, saying, ‘What gave me the right as a woman to challenge them,’” the victim recounted.
According to her, when they tried suggesting contacting their Local Government Inspector (LGI), including their principal, the group warned them against contacting anyone, threatening to smash their phones. The situation escalated when she was beaten and had her clothes torn.
“Even my colleague that was pleading with them, saying you cannot be hitting a lady like that—I added that about five of them used an iron rod to hit me for speaking up on her behalf.”
The corps member further alleged that she was shoved into a waiting vehicle marked Anambra Vigilante Group, where she was subjected to further physical harassment.
“They pushed me into the vehicle. One was pressing my neck inside, slapping me, and doing all sorts of nonsense,” the corps member said.
