Former Labour Party presidential candidate Peter Obi has strongly condemned the reported assault on a female National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) member, Jennifer Edema Elohor, and her colleagues in Anambra State, describing the act as “inhumane, barbaric, and primitive.”
In a statement posted on his official X handle on Tuesday, Obi expressed shame and heartbreak over the incident, which involved armed men, believed to be operatives of the Operation Udo Ga-Achi (Agunechemba Vigilante Group), storming a corps members’ lodge. A viral video showed the assailants beating and stripping Elohor naked, an act Obi called a “direct assault on our collective humanity.”
“That young girl could have been anyone’s daughter, sister, or even mine,” Obi stated, emphasizing that no society should tolerate the abuse, humiliation, or dehumanization of its citizens, especially women and vulnerable groups.
The former Anambra governor urged authorities to apprehend and prosecute those responsible, stressing the need for justice to serve as a deterrent. He also called for stronger safeguards, policies, and communal values to protect citizens and uphold their dignity.
“Our humanity must always come first. Without it, we are nothing but a people adrift in cruelty,” Obi concluded.
The incident has sparked widespread outrage, with demands for immediate action to address the assault and ensure the safety of NYSC members in the state.
