By Joshua Tosin Ogunsakin 
Six members of the National Youth Service Corps have dragged the Anambra State Government to court, demanding N1 billion in damages for what they described as assault and unlawful detention by operatives of the state-backed vigilante outfit, Agunechemba.
The corps members — Jennifer Elohor, Greatness Oyeh, Eze Ikenna, Anighoro Godspower, Feyisara Amore, and Chimenum Wonodi — filed their case at the Federal High Court sitting in Awka.
Their legal action follows a viral video circulated in August, which showed members of the vigilante group invading the corps members’ residence and assaulting them. In the footage, one of the victims, Elohor, was allegedly beaten and stripped naked by armed men.
Reports indicated that the vigilantes accused the corps members of engaging in cybercrime, labelling them as “yahoo boys,” and subjected them to violence even after they presented their NYSC identity cards to prove their innocence.
Through their lawyer, Cyrus Onu, the aggrieved corps members filed the suit naming the Anambra State Government, Governor Chukwuma Soludo, the State Attorney-General, and the Agunechemba Vigilante Group as the first to fourth respondents.
They are requesting N1 billion in compensation for the mental, physical, financial, emotional, and psychological suffering allegedly inflicted upon them during the ordeal.
In the case filed under number FHC/298/2025, the plaintiffs are urging the court to declare their arrest, detention, torture, and assault as “illegal, unlawful, unwarranted, unconstitutional, and an infringement of their fundamental rights.”
The suit also seeks a court order directing the respondents to publish a written apology in at least two national newspapers and one local newspaper within Anambra State.