The West African Bar Association (WABA) has strongly condemned the brutal assault and dehumanization of a female National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) member in Anambra State, as well as the inhumane treatment of minors by a self-styled pastor in Rivers State.
In a statement issued on Thursday, the regional body described both incidents—captured in viral videos—as “abhorrent, cowardly and deeply distressing,” warning that such acts not only violate human rights but also threaten the values of justice and national service.
The female Corps member, identified as Ms. Jennifer Elobor, was allegedly stripped and viciously beaten by armed thugs believed to be operatives of a government-backed vigilante group in Anambra State. WABA said the assault was “an affront to the ideals of equity, justice, and national service which the NYSC was created to uphold.”
In a similar case, a video from Rivers State showed children, some as young as one year, being battered and thrown about by Pastor Ifediorah Onyeibor Joseph and his accomplices during what he termed a “three-day spiritual cleansing.” The victims, who were stripped naked, were subjected to degrading treatment that WABA described as “a gross violation of the Child Rights Act and a betrayal of our collective responsibility to protect the vulnerable.”
WABA commended the swift arrests made by the Anambra and Rivers State Police Commands, but demanded diligent prosecution of all perpetrators. It further urged the Anambra State Government, the Nigeria Police, NYSC Directorate, and the National Human Rights Commission to launch an urgent and transparent investigation into Ms. Elobor’s ordeal.
The association also called for:
Robust protective measures for Corps members nationwide.
Full enforcement of the Child Rights Act without exception.
Dismantling of structures—spiritual or otherwise—that enable abuse of children.
“Violence against women and children has no place in a lawful and civilized society,” WABA stated, warning that silence and inaction amount to complicity.
The body pledged to monitor both cases closely, and vowed to escalate them through regional and international advocacy if justice is not served.
