A youth corps member serving in Ekiti, Angel Eluna, took to Facebook to recount being assaulted by a male official of the National Youth Service Corps, NYSC, for not wearing her khaki jacket.
In her online publication, she alleged that she was treated badly by the official and she shared photos of her bruised hands and she wrote, unedited:
“This is just an example of how corpers are bn treated in Ekiti state. Someone will leave his or her state only 2b molested by NYSC officials who are supposed 2 make dem feel relaxed in an unknown state.
“An NYSC official in Ado Ekiti brutalized me cos he said i didn’t wear my jacket, of which most of d kits given 2me wasn’t my size.
“It is only in Ekiti state where Man-O-war hit corpers, it is only in Ekiti state where ppl who don’t matter have d right 2 brutalize one who has gone 2ru d four walls of d university.
“If this is d way corpers will b treated in their state of service, I hereby pledge my support 4d scrapping of NYSC. Leave us in our parents houses, rather than taking us 2 places where we will b maltreated.”
It is unclear when this alleged assault happened as it appeared that she has deleted the post from her page following intense media scrutiny.
The NYSC, Ekiti State chapter has issued a official statement addressing Ms. Eluna’s claims.
The service denied her saying that the name ‘Angel Eluna’ is not a corps member in the state and also said that the report was “untrue and unfounded”. But, the statement also said that Confidence Azubuike, the real name of the complainant, was the person who assaulted an official of the NYSC.
This is the full statement by the NYSC, unedited:
“REJOINDER
NYSC OFFICIAL BRUTALIZE CORPER IN EKITI FOR NOT WEARING HER JACKET
Angel Eluna is unknown to NYSC Ekiti State. I wish our young Nigerians will be truthful and bold enough to narrate issues as they really are and put their real names on such narrations.
The real corps member involved in this matter is CONFIDENCE AZUBUIKE (EK/16B/2389).
Confidence was not molested by any official of NYSC Ekiti State. Rather it was the other way round. Confidence in her statement to the State Coordinator said she held the official’s shirt by his collar because she did not know he was an official. She quickly released him when the Local Government Inspector introduced himself. Investigation into the incident which required the call for the corps member’s file has revealed a whole lot about who Confidence is.
One wonders the source of Confidence’s confidence in being so unruly. You need to see what she wore for Community Development Service. Her cap was wrong, White T-Shirt was something else, her canvas was Pink, Khakhi Jacket tied round her waist. Above all, she refused to be corrected and would rather fight the NYSC official.
Let it be known that the reddish patch on her arm was caused by the long chain of her handbag strap. It was as she held the officer’s shirt that the bag strap pressed on her arm leaving the reddish spot because she is fair. This is the Account of an individual that witnessed the incident.
NYSC Ekiti is coordinated by a mother who will not allow any of her corps members to be maltreated by anybody. However, she will not tolerate any misbehaviour on the part of the corps members. She calls them “My sons and daughters”. She will not hesitate to call her erring daughter Confidence to order and that she will do in this matter.”
