Gov. Soludo dismissed eight Anambra vigilantes for assaulting, stripping female corps member

The Anambra State government has dismissed eight members of the Agunechemba Security outfit captured in a viral video assaulting and publicly stripping a female member of the National Youth Service Corps, Jennifer Elobor, in Oba, Idemili South Local Government Area.

Disclosing this on Wednesday at the security outfit’s headquarters in Awka, the Special Adviser to Governor Chukwuma Soludo, on Community Security, Ken Emeakayi, said the dismissed operatives would face prosecution.

Mr Emeakayi stated that the operatives, who claimed, were pursuing suspected cultists, before attacking the corps member, said they acted “totally outside the mandate of the agency and utterly condemnable.’’

The governor’s aide, while stating that the state government would not “tolerate any form of unprofessionalism, brutality or abuse of office by security operatives,” warned that any officer found guilty of misconduct would face immediate dismissal and prosecution.

The government issued the dismissal, ignoring pleas from the victim’s family and NYSC officials for a quiet resolution, insisting on a full investigation and accountability to serve as deterrent, noting that it would mark a turning point in reforming community security operations in the state.

Mr Emeakayi also said the state government had apologised to the victim’s family, NYSC and the public, settled her medical bills, replaced her laptop and phone damaged during the assault.

He reiterated the government’s commitment to professionalism, accountability and respect for human rights in all security engagements.