The vigilante stripped the youth coper naked, dehumanized her in a broad daylight. An incident that could have been avoided in Anambra.
A viral video showed a young woman being stripped naked in broad daylight. This incident was carried out by a group of vigilante in Anambra State. The video showed not just humiliation of a Youth Corper but the tearing down of a youth woman’s dignity.
Her humiliation began when she refused to vacate a building. Instead of settling the matter in a lawful way, members of a vigilante group, eight men against one young woman, chose the path of violence and humiliation.
They forcefully dragged her out, tore her clothes until she was completely naked, and they paraded her in public. Their punishment was just to reduce her to an object of ridicule, in a country where corps members are celebrated as symbols of national unity, the act of those vigilantes were gross, instead of protecting her, they became her violator.
The case becomes even more disturbing. It was almost swept under the carpet using a simple sorry. It was as though her dignity and rights were nothing. During an interview, Miss Destiny, stated that, as a fellow woman, I cannot stay silent. This act is not just a violation of one person. This is a shameful attack on all women. It attacks our dignity. It challenges the very principles of humanity.
No one deserves to be humiliated in a degrading manner, especially from those who claim to uphold order in society. We cannot allow silence to become the norm when crimes like this occur. Justice must be served, and those who are responsible must be held accountable. Women are not objects to be disgraced, we are human beings we deserve respect.
The safety of corps members, who leave their homes to serve the nation, should be a priority. If they cannot feel safe, then what hope is there for ordinary citizens? This incident should serve as a call to action. We demand justice, transparency, and a society where no woman has to live in fear of such cruelty.
Women’s experiences are often ignored. Those responsible offer a simple apology, saying “sorry.” They act as though this apology is meant to erase the scars, trauma, and shame. But “sorry” does not restore dignity, and “sorry” is not justice. It is just a shallow word when it is accompanied with unaccountability.
From another interviewer, Prosper Ojerahi, who showed concerned by saying. “Those vigilante people don’t have any right to do something like that. It’s dehumanizing because no matter what the issue is, there is no reason that will warrant that kind of behaviour. And one thing that comes to their mind is stripping of girls naked, why?
Even if the girl did something bad, they could have handled it differently. But NO, there sense of reasoning is low. The vigilante should face the full extent of the law because the girl’s dignity has been lost. Imagine coming outside and people already know who you are because of the video. Whatever issue they had with the girl should have been judged in a court of law. But the vigilante members were so wrong.”
Vigilantes, who are supposed to be protectors, often cross the line into becoming oppressors. Their actions are frequently unchecked. In this case, their abuse of power has left scars not only on the victim but on the society.
Another interviewer, Miss Bamiyo Asenime, expressed disbelief at the cruelty. “From what I heard, it happened because she refused to leave a building, and in the process of trying to force her out, they tore off her clothes.
What makes this even worse is that these vigilantes were all men, about eight men against one young woman. And I keep asking myself, why? If the problem was that she refused to leave the building, then push her out if you must, But to strip her naked in public? This is wicked, humiliating, and completely unnecessary. Imagine how the woman must have felt, standing there with nothing on, disgraced in front of everyone”.
Bamiyo added, “And the sad thing is, if it was a man, they would never have stripped him naked. This just shows how women are constantly treated with less value in our own society. Honestly, I hope the Governor of that state or anyone in authority takes the matter seriously.
Those vigilantes deserve to be punished for what they did. They should face the law in a way that reflects the public shame they caused that young woman. Because this is not only unfair, it is deeply shameful.”
Violence against women is too often excused or justified under disguise of discipline. But would have the same punishment been inflicted on a man? The answer is almost NO. Gender bias, is deeply rooted in Nigeria, which causes humiliation.
In cases like this, those involve often hide behind apologies, hoping to erase their consequences of their actions. But how does “sorry” erase the memory of being stripped naked? How does “sorry” heal the emotional scars of being treated like an object? A “sorry” without accountability is an insult. The corps member deserves more than sympathy, she deserves justice. Justice in this case must involve compensating the victim. It must set an example that vigilantes cannot act above the law. If a vigilante feels empowered to strip a woman naked in public, it is a severe concern. There is no fear of consequences. What message does it send about women’s safety in Nigeria?
The vigilantes involved must be arrested, tried, and punished. The victim must be provided psychological support. And the government must take concrete steps to regulate vigilante groups, ensuring that they act within the law. Also, society must change its mindset of always using violence on women as discipline or punishment. We must start seeing women as full human beings that deserves respect, and dignity.
The stripping of a corps member it not just a crime but an assault on humanity. It is a wound inflicted not only on one woman. It also affects the entire nation that claims to value justice and equality before the law. Justice must be served for the sake of the victim. It is also crucial for every woman who fears the stripping away of her body, dignity, and humanity.
When we allow one woman’s dignity to be stripped in public, we strip ourselves of our humanity. We also lose our dignity as a people. No more time for apologies, Justice must prevail.
Discover more from Urhobo Daily
Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email.
Leave a Reply