By Paul Olayemi

Senator Ede Dafinone, representing Delta Central Senatorial District, has condemned in the “strongest possible terms” the brutal assault on Miss Edema Jennifer Elohor, a serving National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) member from Urhobo extraction, in Oba, Idemili South Local Government Area of Anambra State.

In a statement on Wednesday, Dafinone described the attack — allegedly carried out by operatives of Operation Udo Ga-Achi, also known as the Agunechemba Vigilante Group — as “inhuman, barbaric, and a direct affront to the ideals of national service and unity.” He said: “What happened to Jennifer was a grave violation of her dignity and rights. No Nigerian citizen, much less a young woman serving her fatherland, should ever be subjected to such dehumanising treatment.”

The Senator said the viral video of the incident showed the vigilantes storming the corps members’ lodge, assaulting them despite seeing valid NYSC identification cards. “Jennifer was brutally beaten, stripped naked, left bleeding, and subjected to humiliating and sexually degrading threats,” Dafinone lamented. “It is an unimaginable ordeal that no parent should have to see their child go through.”

Dafinone said the attack was an indictment on the Agunechemba Vigilante Group and a warning sign about the dangers of unregulated armed vigilantes. “We cannot have untrained, unprofessional, and heavily armed individuals roaming communities, weaponising violence against law-abiding citizens. Those behind this heinous act must be identified, arrested, and prosecuted immediately. Anything less will embolden others to abuse citizens’ rights,” he warned.

Calling for compensation, Dafinone urged the Anambra State Government to “take full responsibility” for the assault. “Jennifer must be compensated for the physical, psychological, and emotional trauma she has suffered. This is the least obligation owed to her. The state must act now to restore her dignity and send a clear message that such lawlessness will not be tolerated,” he stated.

The Senator also called on the NYSC leadership to prioritise the safety of corps members in Anambra and other volatile areas. “Parents entrust their children to serve this nation with the belief that they will be protected. That trust must never be betrayed. No corps member should face brutality while wearing the national uniform of service,” he stressed.

Describing the incident as “a test of Nigeria’s resolve against impunity,” Dafinone said the case must not be swept under the carpet. “Justice must be swift. Perpetrators must be punished, and concrete reforms put in place to ensure such shameful abuse never happens again,” he asserted.

“Jennifer’s ordeal is not just her story — it is a wake-up call for us all,” the Senator concluded. “If we fail to act decisively now, we will be sending a dangerous signal that the rights of our young people can be trampled with impunity.”