The Anambra State Information Commissioner, Dr Law Mefor, in this interview withIKENNA OBIANERI,focuses on the recent sexual assault and murder of a female corps member linked to security agencies in Anambra State, including Agunechemba, Udo-ga-Chi, and the OCHA Brigade, as well as the current security situation in the state
InIn recent months, Anambra has been making headlines due to various incidents, such as the attack on a female youth corper in Oba, Idemili South LGA, by members of Udo-ga-Chi and Agunechemba, as well as operatives from Operation Clean and Healthy Anambra reportedly entering the Main Market in Onitsha, firing shots that allegedly resulted in the death of a pregnant woman and others. Does this fall within their responsibilities?
The questions you have raised gave the impression that such events are unique to Anambra State; this is not accurate. It could be that Anambra is a highly progressive society, which leads to more coverage of such incidents. Another aspect is that the events in question occurred at different times. For instance, you mentioned the attack on a female youth corps member in Oba, which took place on July 23. The Oba incident occurred in July, and the Onitsha incident happened in September. These two events do not suggest that such occurrences happen constantly. If the frequency, as you perceive it, is truly so concerning, it should be happening weekly or even daily. However, we are only discussing two incidents between July and September. We need to differentiate between government-established entities, particularly security agencies or those formed for enforcing social compliance, and non-governmental security groups. For example, regarding the incident in Oba, many people believed it was “Operation Udo-ga-Chi”; it was not. It was the Oba local vigilantes. If you read the Anambra Homeland Security Law 2025, you will see that Agunechemba is the same as the Anambra Vigilante Group. The new law has renamed it Agunechemba and established the Agunechemba security force at three levels—state, local government, and community level, with 179 of them. The law thus enables communities in Anambra to set up their own Agunechemba. Therefore, when a community like Oba establishes its own Agunechemba, it does so according to the existing law. In other words, the Oba Vigilante becomes automatically Agunechemba and is therefore under the state’s jurisdiction. So, what happened in Oba, even though it was carried out by the Oba local vigilante, we took responsibility for it.
Apart from assuming accountability, what steps did the state government implement to prevent such occurrences?
Although we acknowledged what is known as ‘vicarious liability’ or ‘vicarious responsibility,’ we had the option to reject it. If you establish an Agunechemba in Oba or any community, you must meet our criteria, after which we will officially recognize you. However, we took on the responsibility; the governor carried out several actions, including ordering the arrest, interrogation, and prosecution of those involved in the Oba incident and provided compensation.
Who got the restitution?
Regarding the items that the corps members claimed to have lost, especially those related to the female victim, we provided compensation by restoring the items they stated were lost – whether or not they actually lost them is a matter for another time, and we do not intend to investigate further. We also addressed the medical needs of the female corps member who was assaulted, tortured, and treated in a dehumanizing manner, including being stripped of her clothes. In fact, the governor was not concerned with what the girl might have done; he believed that regardless of her actions, the response from the operatives clearly violated their Standard Operating Procedure and code of conduct, as well as basic principles of natural justice. The operatives don’t need training to understand that the equipment and weapons provided to them are meant to protect society, not to create additional crime and danger. That is why the governor decided they should be dismissed. They were initially suspended, but the governor remained unsatisfied and insisted on their dismissal, which was carried out. They were handed over to the police, who are currently conducting interrogations, investigations, and prosecutions. As a government, we have fulfilled our role, and the police will handle their own investigations and legal proceedings. Normally, we shouldn’t have dismissed them before the court has ruled on their cases, but we believe they should remain away from duty. As a responsible and proactive government, Governor Chukwuma Soludo will reinstate them if the court’s verdict supports that decision.
Amnesty International urged the Anambra State government to provide a compensation of N100 million to the corps member.
How was the compensation decided? You see, people often create their own rules. Under which law? Which precedent? How did they assess what appropriate compensation is for the woman? Or how did they decide that she was actually eligible for any? This is a government! You don’t establish excessive precedents. We are already handling this matter. If Amnesty International wants to suggest something, make it clear that it’s just a suggestion, not an official directive telling Anambra State Government what to do. By making such a statement, they have now made it even harder for the government to act because our actions were done without any external pressure. And, if we want to assist the woman, it can be done discreetly. It won’t be due to emotional pressure from anyone or any group. In any case, if the girl isn’t satisfied with the steps we’ve taken, she knows what to do. I know several lawyers who have expressed different opinions. If they believe the court will handle it, that’s fine. If the court orders something, we as a government will review it. If we find it reasonable, we will proceed; if the Attorney General advises that it’s not reasonable, we will challenge it. So, let’s see which path is quicker. The court is available to everyone. Let’s be a bit reasonable; we’re dealing with the state government. It’s not like the state governor created Operation Udo-ga-chi and sent his operatives against the people of Anambra. Operation Udo-ga-chi and Agunechemba have done remarkable work in restoring security in Anambra. Therefore, the actions of a few individuals cannot be used to define the entire Agunechemba or Operation Udo-ga-chi. We reject that! We will reject it because they have done good work. The first lady of the state, Dr Nonye Soludo, is also involved in this issue; she has spoken with the woman. These matters should be handled discreetly. If people think they can intimidate the government, they don’t understand the character and personality of the governor. Amnesty International is mistaken and overstepping. You can’t present a request that sounds or appears like an ultimatum, because the state government is not at fault here.
Is the government not concerned that, following the incident involving the female corps member, parents might hesitate to send their children to Anambra for youth service?
It is not feasible because youth corps members have been present in Anambra since the start of the National Youth Service Corps in 1973. If, between 1973 and today, there has only been one case involving a girl, how can this result in Anambra being labeled as hostile to youth corps members and the NYSC program? That would be completely illogical, as nothing like this has ever occurred before. Never! And I don’t believe that what happened to the girl was specifically aimed at youth corps members. No! The Agunechemba community members went there looking for yahoo boys and girls, not corpers. The fact that they were corpers was purely coincidental. It was just a coincidence. This means that it could have happened to anyone. Your question would have made sense if the Agunechemba operatives from Oba had gone there targeting youth corps members. They were actually looking for yahoo boys. Even when you saw the girl, did you see her wearing an NYSC uniform? So how can you claim that the NYSC is under threat in Anambra State due to a single incident? You should correct people’s misconceptions, and I am providing you with facts that the incident was not directed at the youth corps. The girl wasn’t even wearing the NYSC uniform, as seen in the video we all watched. She turned out to be a youth corps member, but the group was searching for yahoo boys.
Are the Agunechemba agents unaware that the building is called ‘Corpers Lodge’?
You know, some people claim it was a Corps Lodge. However, I can confirm there is no Corpses lodge in Anambra, just take my word for it! The fact that multiple corpers reside in an area doesn’t automatically make it a corpers lodge. I was once a corper myself. I completed my service over 30 years ago, so no one can inform me about NYSC that I’m not already aware of. I understand what a corporal’s lodge is. There isn’t one in Anambra State.
Several corps members reside in a location, but that does not imply it is a corps lodge. Do the Oba people know that the place was specifically set aside for corps members? A building exclusively reserved for corps members should be referred to as a corps lodge, so that when you visit the place, you can clearly recognize it as such. No one is targeting NYSC members or the scheme in Anambra. They are being well looked after. This issue is not being managed by the state government. To maintain impartiality, we have allowed the police to handle it. This is not her case. It involves the Commissioner of Police versus the attacker. This is how every criminal case proceeds. It is the state versus the suspects. In civil cases, it is the individual versus the party they are claiming something from. This is a criminal case, and we do not want to interfere with the investigation, which is why we handed the suspects over to the police. Whether the female corps member is pressing charges or not, I am not sure. We insist that this case be taken to court because we cannot act as judges in our own case. The court must be involved. We have already taken our part by suspending the operatives who carried out the operation; we later dismissed them and handed them over to the police. Therefore, the police have taken control of the case.
However, there was also an incident involving another state agency, where certain members of the Operation Clean and Healthy Anambra, OCHA Brigade, were reported to have shot traders, resulting in the death of a pregnant woman and others. Governor Soludo is accused of supplying these state agencies with weapons aimed at his own citizens.
It was yet another instance of misidentification. Operation Clean and Healthy Anambra, also referred to as the OCHA Brigade, does not carry weapons. Therefore, when individuals claim that Governor Soludo recruited criminals and provided them with arms, it is inaccurate. The reality is that they do not possess weapons. However, during enforcement actions, these agencies and their personnel will have to rely on authorities that do carry arms, primarily the Nigerian Police Force. The Nigerian Police Force was not established by Soludo. Hence, when they accompany our agencies for enforcement and an incident occurs, the police personnel and others involved in that operation are mistakenly considered as OCHA Brigade members. That is why I mentioned it was a case of misidentification. I even had to argue this with the governor. I stated, “Our people did not carry out those shootings.” The governor responded, “But they went to assist your people.” The governor’s argument is that although the OCHA Brigade did not commit the shooting, the incident occurred while security personnel were trying to support the OCHA Brigade. Therefore, you must take responsibility. A careless governor might say, “Forget about it, it’s not my people.” However, Soludo insisted that it was the OCHA Brigade’s enforcement, so even though they don’t carry weapons, those who fired the guns did so because of the OCHA Brigade’s operations. It needs to be clarified that the OCHA Brigade did not shoot anyone. Do you know who was involved in that enforcement? It was the Onitsha main market security—the same main market; their own security. These were the individuals who joined the OCHA Brigade during the enforcement. There was a confrontation and faceoff between them and some traders. Perhaps due to fear, bullets may have been fired from automatic rifles. So, logically speaking, Onitsha main market security personnel joined the OCHA Brigade during the enforcement, and Onitsha security shot Onitsha traders, yet Soludo is being blamed. They claim that Soludo gathered troublemakers and gave them guns. The Onitsha Vigilante was not formed by Soludo. They are not part of Agunechemba, in that sense. They existed prior to the formation of Agunechemba. However, as the governor said, they are helping you, so if there is a problem, you cannot just run away; they have become an integral part of the state security system. That is why Governor Soludo intervened, and similar to what happened in Oba, Soludo also covered the medical expenses. He also visited the hospital where the injured victims were taken. He canceled all official engagements and went to Onitsha, returning home afterward. He did nothing else, came back from Onitsha, and returned to the lodge, ending the day. He was no longer in the mood to do anything else. We are in contact with the family of the woman who lost her life, which is very unfortunate. No one should be happy about such an event. There was no indication that she was engaged in any conflict. She was simply unlucky. People wake up in the morning, pray to God to see them through the day, hoping to return home safely. She didn’t make it, not because of her fault or that of Soludo. Now, I also hold the market authorities accountable.
What caused the OCHA Brigade to go to Onitsha Main Market?
The reason was that individuals were conducting trade on the road, which further limited access to the Onitsha Main Market. The intention was to remove the traders from the road. This issue isn’t exclusive to the Onitsha Main Market. Visit Eke Awka, and you’ll find that the government has set up barriers. You’ll notice a fence made of iron, rods, metal, and other materials. It indicates the boundary that traders should not cross. However, despite this, people are still trading on top of the barricades, in addition to using the road. Keep in mind that the OCHA Brigade is an environmental sanitation organization. Its role is to maintain a clean environment. They must ensure that no trading occurs on the road and get the traders to leave. This led to a conflict rather than cooperation — they chose to challenge the enforcers. Normally, would you expect a regular person to carry a gun, enter the main market, and start shooting people? How would you survive such a situation? It was a confrontation! Many of our people do not respect the law. They have no interest in maintaining law and order. Onitsha market traders also share responsibility for this because if the authorities did their job properly and ensured that people weren’t trading on the road, there would be no need for the OCHA Brigade to intervene.
What actions has the state government implemented to prevent the occurrence of similar events again?
Our primary focus was to keep things under control, followed by ensuring those involved took responsibility for their actions. When that incident occurred, on the same day, I released a press statement, and I had discussions with the Onitsha South LGA chairman, the Police Area Commander, the Managing Director of OCHA Brigade, and some market leaders to find out exactly what happened before making the statement. I needed factual information — you can’t just make assumptions. The market has its own authorities who are supposed to ensure traders follow the rules, but they failed in this case. They also need to clarify why they permitted traders to operate on the roads. This isn’t just an issue in Onitsha; even in Awka, if you go to Eke Awka, you’ll see a barricade where traders aren’t supposed to cross, and you’ll notice that more people are beyond the barricade than behind it. Our people don’t want to obey the authorities. They create their own set of rules. Public awareness is necessary. That is where journalists come into play. Law and order apply to everyone. Don’t we travel to other countries? Go to Ghana, for example — let’s not talk about South Africa or Rwanda. Just look outside the country. Why do we think Anambra should remain chaotic? Soludo wants to bring change to the area, not just for himself, but for the people of Anambra.
However, there remain uncertainties about whether the individuals in these state agencies are sufficiently trained to perform their responsibilities while upholding basic human rights.
They have received training. The staff of Agunechemba have been adequately trained. Even the Nigerian Police, Anambra command, under the leadership of Commissioner of Police, Ikioye Orutugu, has carried out retraining for Agunechemba. Therefore, they have been trained and are currently being retrained by the Nigerian Police. Training represents the highest level of preparation. Part of the training provided by the police includes an understanding of fundamental human rights. The governor is not merely talking about equipping people; we have conducted profiling to identify them. They are profiled, trained, retrained, given a code of conduct, and even a Standard Operating Procedure. So, it’s not a question of whether they are trained or not; no! I believe their training and behavior are adequate. Their behavior, in my view, remains satisfactory. Since these agencies began operations on February 18, 2025, how many serious cases or violations have been reported besides those that occurred in Oba involving the female corps member and the market incident in Onitsha? What happened in Oba and Onitsha was simply coincidental.
Certain people and organizations have advocated for the dissolution of Agunechemba and Udo-ga-Chi. Are you considering this?
Those making such claims are being biased, and their real aim is a return to chaos, a condition that caused people to leave Anambra State. They desire the return of kidnappers, armed robbers, Yahoo boys, cultists, “ndi oke ite,” evil and ineffective traditional healers, “ndi ezenwanyi,” and individuals who have failed in society, coming back to Anambra to assert they are “ezenwanyi.” Politicians are attempting to create a story by claiming that some local vigilantes from Oba beat up a girl and stripped her naked. I even came across reports stating that Soludo has formed a terror group. Imagine such statements, and yet politicians complain about insecurity while traveling through all 179 communities of the state campaigning for votes? Don’t they have any value for kidnapping? If they are able to campaign freely in Anambra, is it because they don’t have kidnap value? The fact that they are not kidnapped indicates that kidnappers have been subdued, and no one can claim that Anambra State is still as it was in 2021. In 2021, when Soludo was running for governor, eight local government areas were under attack. Soludo was attacked, and the three police officers assigned to him were killed. When he went to speak to some youths in his village, Isuofia, he was attacked. Before this attack, his father had also been kidnapped. One of the gubernatorial candidates at the time, Obiora Agbasimalo from the Labour Party, was taken away by unknown gunmen while on his campaign train and has never been seen since. This was the level of insecurity before Soludo took office. However, today, people are campaigning throughout all 326 wards in Anambra State. This is proof of significant security improvements. The easiest way to lose an argument is to argue against facts and data. Another point is the off-season bye-election, the senatorial election to replace the late Senator Ifeanyi Ubah. There are 70 communities in Anambra South; elections are held in each of them. There are 118 wards; elections are conducted in all of them. Between 1,000 and 1,500 polling units make up what we call the Anambra South Senatorial District; elections are held in all of them. Anambra is progressing towards regaining the status it lost before Soludo became governor—the status of Anambra being the safest state in Nigeria.
What is your opinion on reports stating that local physicians play a significant role in the majority of crimes occurring in Anambra?
Over 50% of individuals who identify as traditional healers are not originally from Anambra State. Don’t they have their own villages? Why can’t they return to their villages and practice there? Instead, they are present in Anambra, opening shops and distributing highly dangerous traditional remedies such as “ule ntite.” Have you also heard about “Ukwala nta?” These individuals are misleading the public; this is what Soludo claims should be halted and stopped in Anambra. This situation has resulted in what we refer to as “Oso Soludo.”
Provided by SyndiGate Media Inc. (Syndigate.info).
