- Safiu Kehinde
Jennifer Elohor, the National Youth Service Corp (NYSC) member who was assaulted by operatives of the Agunechemba Security Network in Anambra state, has broken silence over the incident as she recounted her ordeal.
NPO Reported the circulation of disturbing videos on social media platforms on Monday showing the vigilante group beating Jennifer and stripping her naked after bursting the corpers’ lodge where she resides with her colleagues at Oba, Idemili South Local Government Area of the state
According to reports, the security operatives on the 23rd of July had stormed the’ lodge, accusing the corps members of being ‘yahoo people’.
The security outfit’s action had since been heavily condemned by the state government, the NYSC, and members of the public.
Also, the state Police Command confirmed the arrest of the eight officers involved in the assaults with the local security outfit also announcing the sacking of the erring officers.
The Police however disclosed that Jennifer’s absence and reluctance to press charges against the officers had hindered them from carrying out further investigation.
Jennifer whose naked body was censored in the video had initially kept a low profile since the video went viral.
She has however opened up over the incident in a latest video shared on X on Thursday.
As captured in the video which also had her physical identity concealed, the corp member recounted how the armed security operatives had stormed their lodge without proper identification.
She disclosed challenging them after they were ordered to enter their operational vehicle after accusing them of internet fraud.
This, according to her had led to the brutal assault.
“This incident happened on the 23rd of July at about 5pm in the evening. I and my co-Corpers were just in our compound charging our phones and minding our own business. So, we heard a knock on the door.
“At first, we thought it was one of our neighbours because it was a three-storey building with a lot of rooms. So, we actually thought it was our neighbour’s door that was being knocked.
“So, we ignored the first time until we heard it again. But this time, it was very aggressive. The person on the other end was angry about being ignored. So, I said “okay, let me go and check if it is our door that is being knocked.”
“Before I got to the door, it was kicked. If I had even made a step further, the door would have hit me. On the other end of the door, I saw a masked man with a gun, and he wasn’t wearing any form of uniform- weather military or just plain uniform.
“He wasn’t wearing any and no form of identification. At first, I was afraid that it was an armed robber until I heard him say “all of you, outside!”
“That was when I summoned a little courage and was like “outside as how?” All of us here in this room are corpers. It was in the middle of this argument that my colleagues came out and were like “what’s going on?”
“I told them that he was asking us to come outside for reasons he didn’t explain. My colleague said “all of us here are corpers. He went inside, brought his ID Card and told the others to bring out their ID cards for identification just to clear ourselves.
“But they ignored and even forced themselves inside our rooms, packed our laptops and phones and everything. They became very aggressive asking who gave us right and what kind of stupid Corpers that we are doing Yahoo.
“We were even trying to explain ourselves even those without their ID cards were showing them their portals that we are NYSC Corpers. They ignored everything and forced us downstairs.
“They almost pushed me off the staircase, telling me that I’m the one that is even having mouth that what gave me the right to challenge (them).
“When we got downstairs, we saw their vehicles and that was when we even identified that they are Anambra Vigilante Group.
“We were now like even if you want to force us to go with you, you should at least call somebody, either our LGI or our Proprietor so that they will know we are going somewhere with people because you didn’t even introduce yourself.
“We don’t even know you. We don’t know where you are taking us to. We can’t just follow you like that.
“That was when they started beating me that what give me the right and mouth to confront them.
“They even went ahead to tell us that if we even call anybody, that they are going to smash our phones on the floor. They beat me, tore my clothes from my body.
“Even my colleagues that were pleading with them saying “you cannot be hitting a lady like this” they hit her with an iron rod saying why should she be pleading on my behalf? Okay let me at least change before I follow you.”
“They said no. They forced me into the vehicle and were even pressing my neck in the vehicle, slapping me and doing all sort of nonsense.” She narrated.