The Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) has condemned the assault of Jennifer Elobor, a National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) member serving in Anambra State, calling for the immediate prosecution of the vigilante operatives involved.
Elobor was beaten and stripped by security operatives in an incident that has sparked nationwide outrage.
The NBA described the act as “degrading, inhumane, and a violation of her fundamental human rights.”
“Nobody, whether suspected of an offence or entirely innocent, deserves to be subjected to such barbaric treatment,” NBA President, Mazi Afam Osigwe (SAN), said in a statement issued on Wednesday.
The association noted that while security agencies are empowered to arrest and maintain order, such powers must be exercised lawfully.
“Even where an arrest is to be made, the law provides clear procedures to ensure that the dignity of the individual is protected,” the statement read.
The NBA commended the Anambra State government for swiftly identifying and arresting the operatives responsible, but insisted that accountability must go further.
“Justice must not only be done but must be seen to be done, to serve as redress for Ms. Elobor and a deterrent against similar abuses in the future,” Osigwe stressed.
NBA General Secretary, Dr. Mobolaji Ojibara, added that the Association’s branches in Anambra and the National Litigation Committee have been directed to monitor the case to ensure diligent prosecution.
The incident, the NBA said, underscores the urgent need for training and reorientation of security operatives to entrench respect for human rights and professionalism.
