By ABDULKABIR MUHAMMED

A prominent human rights group, the Legal Assistance and Citizens Rights Initiative (LACRI), has condemned a recent face-off between some Anambra youth corps members and members of the Agunechemba Vigilante Group on July 23, 2025. The fracas which led to one of the Corps members, Miss Jennifer Edema Elohor, being brutalised and stripped naked, has sparked outrage across the country as people questioned the role of the said Vigilante group, who are supposed to uphold safety and the protection of people’s lives and properties.

However, in a statement signed by its Executive Director, Legal Assistance and Citizens Rights Initiative, Martin Atojoko, Esq., LACRA has condemned the action of the Agunechemba Vigilante Group, claiming that such an act, beyond a stain on Anambra State, tarnishes Nigeria’s democracy. They also claimed that the security operatives were being hypocritical by going extreme on innocent citizens while leaders loot billions without consequences.

“The Legal Assistance and Citizens Rights Initiative LACRI strongly condemns the barbaric, inhumane, and degrading treatment meted out to Miss Jennifer Edema Elohor, a serving National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) member in Anambra State, who was violently beaten, stripped naked, and left bloodied by members of the Agunechemba Vigilante Group, reportedly operating under the authority of Governor Charles Soludo’s administration.

“The viral video capturing this heart-wrenching assault is not only an embarrassment to Anambra State but also a shameful stain on Nigeria’s democracy, where jungle justice is carried out against the weak while the powerful political elite, who plunder the nation’s wealth daily, are shielded from accountability.

“It is unacceptable that in a country where leaders loot billions without consequence, a young woman who dedicated herself to national service can be subjected to such humiliation under the guise of fighting crime,” they lamented.

The rights group argued that the Corps member’s encounter with the vigilantes constitutes “a grave violation of her fundamental human rights as enshrined in the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights, and the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.”

LACRI has demanded an immediate investigation into the matter and a public apology from the concerned stakeholders. They have also demanded the prosecution of culprits and urgent reforms that stem the tide of such shenanigans.

LACRI’s Demands:

1. Immediate investigation into the actions of the Agunechemba Vigilante Group.

2. Public apology and compensation to Miss Jennifer Edema Elohor.

3. Prosecution of those responsible for this assault, regardless of their position or political cover.

4. Urgent reform or disbandment of vigilante groups operating outside the rule of law in Anambra State.

The Legal Rights Initiative has called for a proactive response from key stakeholders, especially the Nigerian police, in addressing the issue at stake. LACRI has urged the police to intervene and not expect the victim to reach out first.

Their words:

“The Legal Rights Initiative therefore calls on Governor Charles Soludo, the Inspector General of Police, the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC), and the NYSC Directorate to act swiftly and decisively. Silence or delay will only embolden further abuse and lawlessness.

“We therefore call on the police to not expect a traumatised lady to come meet them but rather for them to find the lady and take her account as she may be in the hospital bed or may have ran to her parents to find succor.”

The group also reiterated their commitment to supporting Miss Eloho and every oppressed Nigerian.

“We stand in solidarity with Jennifer Edema Elohor and all Nigerians who continue to face injustice, abuse, and oppression. Jungle justice must never be tolerated in a society that claims to uphold democracy and the rule of law."