By Austine Emmanuel, Kaduna
A member of the National Youth Service Corps, (NYSC) Grace Chalya Silas has reportedly been killed by suspected phone snatchers, in Kaduna state during an early morning jogging exercise.
The Kaduna State Police Command, on Thursday, in a phone conversation with Nigerian NewsDirect Correspondent, Kaduna state confirmed the incident through the Police Public Relation Officer, ASP Manir Hassan.
According to Hassan, the State’s Commissioner of Police, CP Musa Garba Yusuf has directed a manhunt to fish out the perpetrators, adding that they have intensified security checks to deliver on the mandate.
Mansir said, “It’s a very tragic incident. She was performing her early morning jogging (exercise) when some miscreants (phone snatchers) on motorcycles pounced on her.
“The victim’s name is Grace Chalya Silas. She was a Corps member serving in Kaduna South.
“When the case was reported to the police, operatives responded swiftly and moved to the scene of the crime where they saw the victim in the pool of her own blood. She was rushed to the clinic, where she was later confirmed dead.
“Since the incident was reported to the police, the Kaduna State Commissioner of Police, CP Musa Yusuf Garba, held an emergency meeting with the top hierarchy of command over the matter. We are already in touch with NYSC in the state.
“The CP has directed the Barnawa DPO and Area Commander to immediately hunt for killers of the Corps members and fish out the perpetrators of the dastardly act.”
Silas, who was doing her one-year mandatory national youth service in the state, was reported to have been stabbed to death in Barnawa, in Kaduna South Local Government Area of the state on Wednesday.
The deceased who was a student of the University of Jos took over the media space with her friends and coursemates, mourning her demise.
One of them, with the name Vibe Shoe, wrote, “What is life all about? Struggle and just be killed by anyone while u go for morning jogging? Or u sleep and don’t wake up? What is life? What is life? What is life? Chalya, u left a big wound, that will take a while to heal. The people behind your death shall no know peace. It’s hard to say goodbye. But rest well with the Lord.”
Another, Comfort Elisha, wrote on her Facebook handle, “No na. What is really happening to Jossite and the Special Education department? We haven’t finished mourning Kekefas Emmanuel, and now it’s Chalya, brutally killed in Kaduna during her morning jogging while serving her fatherland. May your killers know no peace Chalya. This is too much to bear.”
Chalya Silas, who is on her one-year mandatory national service in the state, was reported to have been stabbed to death during her morning jogging at the Barnawa, in Kaduna South Local Government Area of the state on Wednesday.
The deceased’s friends and coursemates at the University of Jos took to Facebook to mourn her.
Hassan, while confirming the incident, described the death of the corps member as “tragic.”
According to him, the Commissioner of Police, CP Musa Yusuf Garba, after an emergency meeting of the top hierarchy of the command, had ordered the Barnawa Divisional Police Officer and operatives to hunt for the killers of the corps member with a view to bringing whoever is involved to book.
He explained, “The victim’s name is Grace Chalya Silas. She was a corps member serving in Kaduna South.”
When the case was reported to the police, he stated that the operatives responded swiftly and moved to the scene of the crime, where they saw the victim in the pool of her own blood, she was rushed to the clinic, where she was later confirmed dead.
He said that following an emergency meeting with the top hierarchy of command over the matter, they have already gotten in touch with NYSC in the state on the issue.
Meanwhile, the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) has reacted to the murder of a corps member, Grace Chalya Silas, who was stabbed to death in Kaduna by unknown assailants.
Reacting, the scheme expressed its condolences to the bereaved family, the deceased’s colleagues, and her employer, among others.
In a statement signed by Eddy Megwa, Director, Press and Public Relations, the NYSC said it is in strong collaboration with various security agencies to apprehend the perpetrators of this dastardly act and ensure that justice is served.
“Members of the public are enjoined to cooperate with the security agencies in ensuring that all corps members who are deployed to contribute their quota to national development by serving in their communities are adequately protected.
“Corps members are our children, our sisters and brothers and they must be protected by all Nigerians,” the statement added.