Cyrus Onu, a lawyer for the female National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) member, Jennifer Elobor, who was assaulted by local security agents in Anambra State, has said that the perpetrators had threatened to rape and kill her for speaking out during the incident.

“They security agents were banging the door, and Jennifer was trying to open the door, and they just kicked the door, and it almost hit their face.

“Most of them were masked in mufti with guns, so you can imagine how scared the kids corps members were.

“They security agents didn’t give any identification. They just said, ‘Come down, come down. You’re all thieves! You’re all ‘Yahoo’ people!’

“When they tried to drag them downstairs, Jennifer was insisting that if they must take them anywhere, they should allow them corps members to call their LGI Local Government Inspector because the corps members did not know who the operatives were,” the lawyer said on Channels Television’s The Morning Brief on Wednesday.

“That was when they started pouncing on her. They made derogatory comments, asking her who gave her the right as a lady to speak to them anyhow. They started beating her.

“She asked them to allow her to change into something appropriate, and they said, ‘That thing you’re trying to cover, we’ll see it today. We’ll beat you up, we’ll rape you, kill you, and dump you, and nobody can say anything,” Onu added.

The lawyer also claimed that the Anambra security agents threatened to kill her colleagues for trying to defend her.

In a video that went viral, the operatives armed with guns stormed the corps members’ apartment in the Oba community of Anambra State.

The agents who were members of the Operation ‘Udo Ga-Achi,’ also known as the Agunechemba Vigilante Group, were seen beating Elobor and tearing her clothes.

The State Government, through the Special Adviser to Governor Soludo on Community Security, Ken Emeakayi, while condemning the assault on the corps member, said on Tuesday that those involved had been arrested.

Emeakayi also said that the operatives involved had been suspended, and their final evaluation was in process.

“They are suspended because when a case has been established against someone, you arrest the person, then hand him over to the police.

“Now, since they were not readily prepared for persecution, which will be carried out by the police, they are now undergoing other disciplinary measures within our system, pending the final evaluation of the matter, whether they are going to court or not going to court as it relates to the victim,” he had said.

But the lawyer said the Anambra governor’s aide’s comment on the incident was unacceptable.

The victims’ lawyer said, “Ken was alleging that the lady was not forthcoming, and that was why they couldn’t go on with the investigation. That’s not true. In fact, when they got to the secretariat, those people were still firing guns in the air to intimidate them.

“It was one of the local inspectors who came from the NYSC that told them to allow them [corps members] to go; that was how they let them go.

“If not for the fact that it [the incident] came to the public. All of those things they are saying are not true. They are not prepared to prosecute; they are not going to prosecute.

“And, of course, that is not the only redress our clients are seeking. There must be consequences for bad behaviour, and they [the perpetrators] will pay damages. My clients are seeking compensatory damages, and they will have to pay.

“We’ve since written a petition to the government of Anambra State demanding that those persons be prosecuted, and we will follow up to also ensure compensatory damages.”

A Federal High Court sitting in Abuja has ordered the temporary freezing of four bank accounts connected to the former Group Managing Director (GMD) of the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL), Mele Kyari, following an application by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) in an ongoing fraud investigation.

The order was issued by Justice Emeka Nwite after EFCC counsel Ogechi Ujam presented an ex parte motion, requesting the court to block the accounts pending the outcome of investigations.

“I have reviewed the application, the affidavit, and the accompanying evidence. The request is meritorious and is therefore granted as prayed,” Justice Nwite ruled.

The case was adjourned to September 23, 2025, for further updates.

According to court documents, the EFCC filed the motion on August 11, 2025, after launching an investigation into a petition dated April 24 from a group called the Guardian of Democracy and Rule of Law, which alleged financial misconduct involving Mr. Kyari.

In a sworn affidavit, Amin Abdullahi, an EFCC investigator, stated that preliminary investigations uncovered questionable financial activity involving four accounts at Jaiz Bank.

Two of the accounts are directly under Mele Kyari’s name, while the other two are registered under a non-governmental organisation, Guwori Community Development Foundation Flood Relief.

The accounts in question are:

Jaiz Bank Account Number: 0017922724 — Mele Kyari

Jaiz Bank Account Number: 0017922724 — Mele Kyari (duplicate number possibly an error or additional entry)

Jaiz Bank Account Number: 0018575055 — Guwori Community Development Foundation Flood Relief

Jaiz Bank Account Number: 0018575141 — Guwori Community Development Foundation Flood Relief

The EFCC alleges that these accounts were used to funnel funds potentially linked to conspiracy, abuse of office, and money laundering.

Investigators claim over ₦661 million in suspicious transactions were traced to the accounts.

Some of the inflows were disguised as donations for a book launch or NGO activities, but are suspected to be proceeds from NNPCL-related deals involving Kyari and unnamed oil companies.

The Commission also alleges that Kyari was using family members to operate the NGO accounts as proxies.

A “no debit” order has already been placed on the accounts, though this will expire in 72 hours without a court order, hence the urgent application to freeze the funds.

EFCC officials say Jaiz Bank has been contacted for detailed account statements and that freezing the accounts is essential to prevent the dissipation of potentially illicit funds while investigations and possible prosecution are underway.

The court emphasized that the freeze is temporary and part of an ongoing investigation.

The Ohanaeze Ndigbo Youth Council Worldwide, the youth arm of the apex Igbo socio-cultural organization, has called for the immediate disbandment of a local security

outfit in Anambra State known as Udo Ga-Achi. This demand follows public outrage over a viral video showing members of the outfit brutalizing a female National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) member, identified as Ms. Jennifer Elobor.

The disturbing footage, which has sparked condemnation across Nigeria, showed heavily armed operatives of the outfit physically assaulting the corps member.

The incident has reignited longstanding concerns about the conduct of local security groups in the state.

In a statement released on Wednesday, the National President of Ohanaeze Ndigbo Youth Council, Mazi Okwu Nnabuike, described the assault as one among many long-standing human rights violations by the outfit.

“Before now, there have been several reports about how this group infringes on people’s rights and engages in trial by ordeal,” Okwu said.

“They’ve brutalized countless innocent individuals and have operated as if above the law.”

Okwu added that rights groups, including Intersociety, have raised alarms about the group’s excesses for years, but their concerns were largely ignored until the Elobor incident brought renewed national attention.

He urged Governor Chukwuma Soludo to take immediate action by disbanding the outfit, initiating a fresh recruitment process, and ensuring any new operatives are properly vetted and trained.

“There must also be a mandatory drug test for all prospective recruits,” he stressed. “We cannot afford a repeat of what Nigerians saw in that video.”

Okwu further demanded that the officers involved in the assault face open prosecution by the Nigeria Police, warning against shielding any perpetrators from justice.

“There should be no sacred cows,” he declared. “The Anambra State Government must also compensate Ms. Elobor adequately for the trauma and physical abuse she endured.”

The Ohanaeze Youth Council emphasized that while community-based security may be necessary in some areas, it must operate within the bounds of the law and with full respect for human rights.

The Iheakpu-Awka community in Igbo-Eze South Local Government Area (LGA) of Enugu State has officially banned all masquerade activities for the remainder of 2025, following a series of violent incidents involving individuals disguised as masquerades.

The decision, announced in a statement from the Office of the Executive Chairman of Igbo-Eze South LGA, came after at least two reported attacks on road users last week, including one particularly disturbing incident on Monday, August 18, at Ezzi, Iheakpu-Awka.

According to the statement, a commuter from Kogi State was assaulted by persons dressed as Akatakpa masquerades.

The victim sustained injuries and required brief medical attention.

Following the incident, local authorities held consultations with security agencies and traditional leaders, leading to a full review of masquerade-related activities in the area.

“It was established that while the Akatakpa masquerade holds cultural significance, it has increasingly been exploited by some individuals as a disguise for committing violence and intimidation,” the statement read.

“Immediate Suspension: All Akatakpa masquerade activities in Iheakpu-Awka and surrounding areas are suspended effective August 19, 2025, for the rest of the year.”

“Enforcement: Any individuals found engaging in masquerade activities during the suspension period will be arrested and prosecuted in line with the law.”

“Security Directive: Security operatives have been instructed to ensure strict compliance with the ban.”

The local government chairman, Barr. Ugo Ferdinand Ukwueze, emphasized its respect for cultural heritage but insisted that no tradition should serve as a cover for criminal acts.

“We are committed to preserving our cultural identity, but public safety, human rights, and the dignity of every resident and visitor must take precedence,” the chairman affirmed.

The council reiterated its dedication to maintaining peace, law, and order across the LGA, while encouraging communities to uphold cultural practices that do not endanger lives or security.