• Nigerians seek justice for corps member allegedly battered, crippled by camp commandant
Like a deluge escaping from a burst dam, a torrent of angry reactions swept through cyberspace on Wednesday, as readers commented, with undisguised fury, on a story published on Page 17 of that day’s edition of Daily Sun and on the website, www.sunnewsonline.com.
The story was entitled: No mercy for Mercy. Indeed, all that Mercy Okpithe wanted was to serve her fatherland after her studies, and this she did with all vigour when she reported to the Batch ‘C’ Orientation Camp of the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) in Anambra State.
But for the 2011 graduate of Public Administration from the Adekunle Ajasin University, Ondo State, life has virtually stood still, with her dreams of passing out with her peers allegedly cut short by her Camp Commandant, one Captain S.O Beke. According to reports, Mercy was savagely beaten, and by the time the assault ended, she was left crippled and unconscious. She has since been left to her fate, even as doctors have warned that she suffers from a spine injury.
Since the story hit the newsstands yesterday, it has been greeted with pure outrage by Nigerians. Angry reactions have since followed with hundreds of concerned online readers describing the act as barbaric and calling for the said army officer to be duly prosecuted. A commentator, writing under the name, Hero, simply wrote: “Impunity on display. Mercy’s family should sue the NYSC and the Nigerian Army.”?? Another commentator, Akunne Bonny, queried: “Is that camp commandant still wearing his uniform? I am jumping the protocol to call on GEJ (President Goodluck Jonathan) to make justice prevail.??? Carl, in his reaction, noted: “Reckless khaki boys. May God save us from their evil hands.” Kukumba agreed with Carl. Wrote He: “That commandant ought to be dismissed and jailed.
Meanwhile, the girl should sue for violation of her human right.”??? Another commentator writing under the name, Shorebattery, was also enraged. “When will Nigeria realize the level of atrocities committed by our men and women in uniform in the armed forces and police? Why must Nigeria continue to allow these undisciplined men and women off the hook whenever they commit acts of brutality against civilians?
And when will the military and police realize that civilians are their bosses since the latter provide all the resources that keep all the military and police employed?
The agonizing thing is that the military and police bosses of these vandals do nothing to check them; rather they give the impression that civilians must never insult members of the military and police! So one can see that the fish has got rotten from the head. We have the various political heads of these organizations; what are they doing?
What advice have they given the president to stop these atrocities? The annoying thing is that these vandals in uniform have not been able to defeat a ragtag Boko Haram in the field of battle; and here are many of them finding their strength only before unarmed civilians! I wonder whether they would be able to face civilians should they decide to revolt against these assaults!”?? For Princehubert, the matter should be swept under the carpet.
“What a country! This case should be forwarded to civil liberties and other human right groups. There is need to end impunity on the part of security agents who believe they can kill innocent people and go scot free. Legal actions should be taken against the bloodthirsty soldier and the NYSC.” An anonymous commentator, obviously writing from outside Nigeria, was equally angry. He would like Captain Beke court-martialled. “An assault on a “corper” is a federal case.
Or, is it not? Why are they rooming boys and girls together? Shouldn’t the Attorney General of the Federation, Mohammed Adoke, jump in on this one? Isn’t this his case to prosecute? What the madness is really going on in that country called Nigeria? Any clue? Anybody? I see a military court martial for the camp commander.” Izubiafra wanted the case investigated properly.
“The law should be applied in this matter. May Mercy receive the mercy of nurses and doctors, and above all the infinite mercy of our merciful God. Get well quick, Mercy.”??? Musa, in his response, prayed: May God in his infinite mercy disgrace whoever is responsible for Mercy’s ordeal. This country needs a revolution.” Bart, another commentator, urged the father to report the case to human rights lawyer, Festus Keyamo. “I’m pretty sure you are from Delta State.
Please go to Barrister Festus Keyamo’s Chambers and report this case to him. He will sue the Fed Government, NYSC and that commandant, Captain Beke to court. This is an innocent citizen they are meant to protect and more so, she is a girl, which should have made the army officer to just scold her to go inside.”
Another commentator, writing under the name, Owerri, wrote: “Even if the father is from Delta or Sokoto, all I know on this pitiable situation and physical brutality meted out to Miss Mercy is pure evil against humanity. I’m of the opinion that a human rights legal practitioner/activist must be contacted without delay in order to sort things out for Ms Mercy.? The way and manner this report projected her condition, it shows that the young lady is heading to live with permanent disability occasioned by those that are supposed to provide adequate security to our youth corpers. Our lady corpers are suffering so much these days in the hands of their host communities. If it is not beating, harassment, assault, booing, it is killing by acts of ritualism.
A lady serving in Ekiti was killed, the act masterminded by an okada operator that used to convey her each time she wished to stroll around. The case is in the law court but till today, nothing has come out of it.? Raping our lady corpers has become the order of the day. One serious rape case is still lying fallow in the Osogbo court against the traditional ruler of the town.”
Okafor Stephen Ibe wrote: “I served in Kaduna and got brutalised by military officers in camp, but thank God I was trained and strong naturally to subdue the pain I got from the brutality. I was nicknamed in camp because of the torture, and corpers were also intimidated by soldiers when they tried to protest against what was inhuman. Thank God I scaled through and was not hospitalised. In this case, since the camp commandant’s name is known and he’s still alive, he should be called to defend himself in court.
The Chief of Defence Staff and military should look into this matter. For NYSC, it’s a shame that a prospective corps member was brutalized and nothing was done by NYSC officials and the NYSC state coordinator or director, forgetting that the corps member are federal government personnel for the next one year and should be handled with care.
Where is the pride of NYSC when a corper is no longer protected against such crime?” A commentator, Kennotti wrote: “The father of the victim should contact (human rights lawyers) Festus Keyamo or Femi Falana without delay. He should ensure Mercy is never left without adequate security from now on.”
Chigozie, another commentator, wrote: “In addition to contacting Keyamo and Falana, that camp commandant should be made to go and see Mercy (the antelope he caught in his trap), first in her home, since no hospital admits her anymore. He should go in the company of NYSC officials and two top police officers. NYSC should not shy away from their baby. Mercy is their baby as well as the federal government’s.”
Like a deluge escaping from a burst dam, a torrent of angry reactions swept through cyberspace on Wednesday, as readers commented, with undisguised fury, on a story published on Page 17 of that day’s edition of Daily Sun and on the website, www.sunnewsonline.com.
The story was entitled: No mercy for Mercy. Indeed, all that Mercy Okpithe wanted was to serve her fatherland after her studies, and this she did with all vigour when she reported to the Batch ‘C’ Orientation Camp of the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) in Anambra State.
But for the 2011 graduate of Public Administration from the Adekunle Ajasin University, Ondo State, life has virtually stood still, with her dreams of passing out with her peers allegedly cut short by her Camp Commandant, one Captain S.O Beke. According to reports, Mercy was savagely beaten, and by the time the assault ended, she was left crippled and unconscious. She has since been left to her fate, even as doctors have warned that she suffers from a spine injury.
Since the story hit the newsstands yesterday, it has been greeted with pure outrage by Nigerians. Angry reactions have since followed with hundreds of concerned online readers describing the act as barbaric and calling for the said army officer to be duly prosecuted. A commentator, writing under the name, Hero, simply wrote: “Impunity on display. Mercy’s family should sue the NYSC and the Nigerian Army.”?? Another commentator, Akunne Bonny, queried: “Is that camp commandant still wearing his uniform? I am jumping the protocol to call on GEJ (President Goodluck Jonathan) to make justice prevail.??? Carl, in his reaction, noted: “Reckless khaki boys. May God save us from their evil hands.” Kukumba agreed with Carl. Wrote He: “That commandant ought to be dismissed and jailed.
Meanwhile, the girl should sue for violation of her human right.”??? Another commentator writing under the name, Shorebattery, was also enraged. “When will Nigeria realize the level of atrocities committed by our men and women in uniform in the armed forces and police? Why must Nigeria continue to allow these undisciplined men and women off the hook whenever they commit acts of brutality against civilians?
And when will the military and police realize that civilians are their bosses since the latter provide all the resources that keep all the military and police employed?
The agonizing thing is that the military and police bosses of these vandals do nothing to check them; rather they give the impression that civilians must never insult members of the military and police! So one can see that the fish has got rotten from the head. We have the various political heads of these organizations; what are they doing?
What advice have they given the president to stop these atrocities? The annoying thing is that these vandals in uniform have not been able to defeat a ragtag Boko Haram in the field of battle; and here are many of them finding their strength only before unarmed civilians! I wonder whether they would be able to face civilians should they decide to revolt against these assaults!”?? For Princehubert, the matter should be swept under the carpet.
“What a country! This case should be forwarded to civil liberties and other human right groups. There is need to end impunity on the part of security agents who believe they can kill innocent people and go scot free. Legal actions should be taken against the bloodthirsty soldier and the NYSC.” An anonymous commentator, obviously writing from outside Nigeria, was equally angry. He would like Captain Beke court-martialled. “An assault on a “corper” is a federal case.
Or, is it not? Why are they rooming boys and girls together? Shouldn’t the Attorney General of the Federation, Mohammed Adoke, jump in on this one? Isn’t this his case to prosecute? What the madness is really going on in that country called Nigeria? Any clue? Anybody? I see a military court martial for the camp commander.” Izubiafra wanted the case investigated properly.
“The law should be applied in this matter. May Mercy receive the mercy of nurses and doctors, and above all the infinite mercy of our merciful God. Get well quick, Mercy.”??? Musa, in his response, prayed: May God in his infinite mercy disgrace whoever is responsible for Mercy’s ordeal. This country needs a revolution.” Bart, another commentator, urged the father to report the case to human rights lawyer, Festus Keyamo. “I’m pretty sure you are from Delta State.
Please go to Barrister Festus Keyamo’s Chambers and report this case to him. He will sue the Fed Government, NYSC and that commandant, Captain Beke to court. This is an innocent citizen they are meant to protect and more so, she is a girl, which should have made the army officer to just scold her to go inside.”
Another commentator, writing under the name, Owerri, wrote: “Even if the father is from Delta or Sokoto, all I know on this pitiable situation and physical brutality meted out to Miss Mercy is pure evil against humanity. I’m of the opinion that a human rights legal practitioner/activist must be contacted without delay in order to sort things out for Ms Mercy.? The way and manner this report projected her condition, it shows that the young lady is heading to live with permanent disability occasioned by those that are supposed to provide adequate security to our youth corpers. Our lady corpers are suffering so much these days in the hands of their host communities. If it is not beating, harassment, assault, booing, it is killing by acts of ritualism.
A lady serving in Ekiti was killed, the act masterminded by an okada operator that used to convey her each time she wished to stroll around. The case is in the law court but till today, nothing has come out of it.? Raping our lady corpers has become the order of the day. One serious rape case is still lying fallow in the Osogbo court against the traditional ruler of the town.”
Okafor Stephen Ibe wrote: “I served in Kaduna and got brutalised by military officers in camp, but thank God I was trained and strong naturally to subdue the pain I got from the brutality. I was nicknamed in camp because of the torture, and corpers were also intimidated by soldiers when they tried to protest against what was inhuman. Thank God I scaled through and was not hospitalised. In this case, since the camp commandant’s name is known and he’s still alive, he should be called to defend himself in court.
The Chief of Defence Staff and military should look into this matter. For NYSC, it’s a shame that a prospective corps member was brutalized and nothing was done by NYSC officials and the NYSC state coordinator or director, forgetting that the corps member are federal government personnel for the next one year and should be handled with care.
Where is the pride of NYSC when a corper is no longer protected against such crime?” A commentator, Kennotti wrote: “The father of the victim should contact (human rights lawyers) Festus Keyamo or Femi Falana without delay. He should ensure Mercy is never left without adequate security from now on.”
Chigozie, another commentator, wrote: “In addition to contacting Keyamo and Falana, that camp commandant should be made to go and see Mercy (the antelope he caught in his trap), first in her home, since no hospital admits her anymore. He should go in the company of NYSC officials and two top police officers. NYSC should not shy away from their baby. Mercy is their baby as well as the federal government’s.”
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