The recent outrage expressed by Mr. Peter Obi, the former governor of Anambra State, over the barbaric beating of a serving member of the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) underscores the shock and public outcry over the inhuman treatment meted to the hapless corps member. The incident further highlights the increasing cases of brutality and suppression against corps members for unjustifiable reasons. The corps members ought to be seen and treated as patriotic youths who decided to use their youthful energy to serve their fatherland for minimal benefit.
Peter Obi was reacting to the latest trauma suffered by an innocent young lady in the hands of barbaric security operatives from the Anambra State vigilante, a government agency paid with tax-prayers money.
According to reports, the corps member identified as Jennifer Elohor, who recounted her harrowing ordeal in the hands of members of the vigilante, said the men stormed their corps members lodge and forcefully took her and her colleagues away.
Elohor who narrated her trauma in an interview with media personality, Aprokoking, said the incident occurred on July 13, 2025 at their lodge. She said she and her colleagues were indoors when they heard an aggressive bang on their door.
She said, at first we thought it was our neighbor’s door because it’s a three-storey building with several flats. But the bang became louder and more aggressive so I decided to check. Before I could reach the door, it was kicked open. Elohor explained that a masked man armed with a gun stormed into the room without any form of identification or uniform.
‘At first, I thought it was an armed robber until he ordered all of us to come outside. I tried to explain that we were corps members and even suggested showing our NYSC identity card. My colleagues presented theirs, but the men ignored us,’ she recounted.
At that point, she said the intruders ransacked their room, seized their phones and laptops and became violent. ‘They pushed us downstairs, almost shoving me down the staircase. It was when we got outside that we saw their vehicle and discovered that they were from the Anambra vigilante group”.
She further said that when they requested to call their lodge proprietor or NYSC officials to notify them of where they were being taken, the men became more brutal.
‘They beat me, tore my clothes and even hit one of my colleagues with an iron rod for pleading on my behalf. They forced me into their vehicle, pressing my neck, slapping me, and threatening to smash our phones if we contacted anyone.;
According to reports in a video that went viral on social media, the armed operatives accused the corps members of being internet fraudsters, despite showing their identification cards and uniforms. They reportedly beat the female corps members in public glare despite her cries for help.
The dastard attack triggered outrage and condemnation on the social media with many Nigerians bemoaning the barbaric and brutal manhandling of innocent female corps members. Mr. Peters Obi expressed shock and said he is ashamed to come from Anambra State where such barbarism is perpetrated in the 21st century.
Anambra State Governor Professor Charles Soludo said that those responsible have been indentified, arrested and detained, disclosing that the operatives involved in the assault have been sacked. But that is not enough. Justice should be served.
It is alarming that the state government could be backing a lawless untrained group, which it armed, with excessive power to commit havoc in the name of security, when, in reality, the group is terrorizing the people. The group should be disbanded and reconstituted and given fresh mandate to be civil in its activities. The victims should be given adequate compensation, otherwise, they should seek redress in court for justice to be served.
Before the Anambra brutality, another case of suppression of a youth corps member was ragging in Lagos. Usshie Uguamaye reportedly faced repercussion for reportedly criticizing President Bola Ahmed Tinubu on TikTok. Reports say Uguamaye posted a video on TikTok where President Tinubu was described as a ‘terrible leader’ due to the rising inflation and economic hardship in Nigeria.
Reacting, Temitope Ajayi, Senior Special Assistant to the President on media and publicity, bluntly stated that Uguamaye’s actions warranted the full NYSC disciplinary measures because she violated her oath and code of conduct as a corps member. Ajayi initially sparked outrage for reportedly saying that Uguamaye deserved ‘capital punishment’ under NYSC rules, but he later recanted that he meant the maximum penalty under NYSC which is expulsion.
Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar and Peter Obi, among other Nigerians, criticized the ill treatment. Unconfirmed reports say Uguamaye had her service year extended. It is pertinent to ask if there is any law in Nigeria that forbids one from criticizing the president.
Furthermore in Lagos State, on March 9, 2019 during the governorship election in Lagos, a youth corps member serving as INEC ad-hoc staff in Mushin was beaten up for daring to demand their allowance. The corps member identified as Ikuomola Akerele was reportedly paid N5,000 along with his colleagues instead of the approved N20,000 paid to other ad-hoc staff.
During the 2011 general elections, six youth corps members were reportedly gruesomely murdered in Bauchi State. The incident occurred in Giade Local Government Area of the state following the announcement of the presidential election results, which declared Dr. Goodluck Jonathan as the winner. The violence that erupted was reportedly led by one Kabiru Musa. They reportedly stormed the Giade divisional police headquarters where the six corps members ran for safety. They were chased and murdered there. The victims were identified as Nkwazema Anslem, Adewunmi Seun Paul, Okpokili Obinna, Teldi Olawale Tosim Adewel Elloiot and Nkeoma Chibuzor Till date, there is no information on what happened to the murderers.
In this era of kidnapping, there have been cases of kidnapping of youth corps members. In Zamfara in August 2023, eight corps members were reportedly kidnapped on the highway while travelling to Sokoto State. Three of the corps members managed to escape.
And in Rivers State in May 2023, an unknown number of youth corps members were kidnapped along the East-West Road while traveling from NYSC orientation camp in Ondo state to Port-Harcourt.
In another incident in Ondo State, five kidnapped corps members reportedly regained freedom after police mounted pressure on the kidnappers.
Scores of youth members have reportedly perished in fatal road accidents in different parts of Nigeria. Some died either going to the orientation camp or returning.
On January 22, 2025, a prospective corps member reportedly died in a road accident while going to NYSC orientation camp in Ebonyi State. Many others were injured. And on July 28, five corps members were killed in a vehicle accident along the Abaji Kwali expressway. A corps member reportedly died in a road accident while traveling to the NYSC orientation camp in Ebonyi State.
On August 24, 2025, a corps member identified as Opadokun Olawadamilare Gbolahun, died in a motor cycle accident after completing his orientation programme in Ondo State.
The foregoing is only a tip of the iceberg. There is hardly any available and comprehensive statistics on the number of corps members who have been abused, brutalized or killed in the course of their NYSC programme since 1973 when the scheme started.
The spate of insecurity in the country has worsened the situation. Government should re-evaluate the programme in the light of the prevailing insecurity across the country.
Besides, I must say, unequivocally, that the NYSC has outlived its usefulness. If the programme is going to continue, corps members should be allowed to serve in their states of origin. Additionally, government should provide adequate insurance cover for the corps members in the likely event of death or injury so that adequate compensation would be paid to the affected families.
Dr. Onyekakeyah, a former member of The Guardian Editorial Board is a public affairs commentator and a Daily Query columnist.
