KINGSLEY EBERE
The Apex Igbo Sociocultural Organization, Ohanaeze Ndigbo Worldwide, has called on President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to disband vigilante group in Anambra State over assault on NYSC female corper in the State.
P.M.EXPRESS reports that it was contained in a press release by the group signed by their Deputy National President General, Mazi Okechukwu Isiguzoro and National Spokesman, Chief Chimereze Thompson Ohia respectively.
It stated: “In the name of justice and human dignity, we feel it is an imperative moral obligation to urgently call upon President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to take decisive action in dissolving and disbanding the Anambra State vigilante group, synonymous with rogue operations and clandestine activities that undermine the principles of law and order.”
“It is with a heavy heart and profound concern that we convey this unvarnished truth to President Tinubu. The AGUNACHEMBA vigilante group represents a malignant revival of the disbanded and infamous state-sponsored killer apparatus known as the “BAKASSI VIGILANTE GROUPS” that once plagued the regions of Abia and Anambra States. Under the guise of maintaining security, these former entities were utilized by past governors to perpetrate violence against political opponents, engage in illicit activities, and harass innocent civilians—with particular cruelty directed toward vulnerable women. The historical accounts of those dark times are cautionary tales of human rights violations, wherein victims endured unspeakable atrocities, including the notorious harvesting of organs.”
“In 2002, the Federal Government, under the leadership of President Olusegun Obasanjo, took the necessary and urgent steps to dismantle the operations of the BAKASSI BOYS, arresting their leaders and thereby ceasing their reign of terror. It is with this historical context in mind that we express our deepening suspicion that the AGUNACHEMBA VIGILANTE GROUP has prolonged its existence beyond any justifiable means and must be held accountable for its appalling actions—actions epitomized by the recent egregious assault on a National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) member, Miss Jennifer Elohor.”
“On July 23, 2025, Miss Elohor, a 28-year-old graduate of Zoology from Delta State University, was subjected to the heinous indignity of being stripped naked and assaulted by agents of the AGUNACHEMBA vigilante group. Ohanaeze Ndigbo unequivocally condemns this barbaric act as an outrageous violation of human dignity and insists on immediate justice from the Federal Government.”
“We will not tolerate any further encroachments upon human dignity and rights by an unlawful vigilante group formed under the Anambra State Government’s aegis for the purported political intimidation of opponents and perceived adversaries. The rising number of alarming allegations against the AGUNACHEMBA by various opposition parties in Anambra State warrants serious scrutiny. The truth must be brought to light, for it is abundantly clear that Governor Chukwuma Soludo will persist in leveraging this group as an instrument of political power leading to the 2025 Anambra Governorship elections.”
“We must urgently pose a critical question to the presidency: What assurances are in place to guarantee that Governor Soludo will uphold any purported agreements with President Tinubu after his anticipated re-election in 2025? The continuity of this vigilante group poses not only a risk to human rights but sets a precedent for future governance marked by intimidation and oppression.”
“In conclusion, we call upon President Tinubu to act with the gravity this situation demands. The dissolution of the Anambra Vigilante Group, AGUNACHEMBA, is not merely a request but a necessity for the reestablishment of lawful governance and the protection of our citizenry. It is imperative that we safeguard the dignity of every individual against the scourge of vigilante lawlessness.”