by Rachel Ogbu

Catherine Nzegwu, an ex-member of the National Youth Service Corps, NYSC, has sued the NYSC and Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC for allegedly abandoning her following an accident she sustained during the voters’ registration exercise.

Nzegwu, is claiming N10m as exemplary damages and N50m for general damages following the accident before the 2011 general elections.

A copy of the court processes reads:

Nzegwu, a 2009 graduate of Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka, Anambra State, was an Assistant Registration Officer (R2) with INEC in Opobo, Rivers State.

She was returning from Opobo to her base at Community Secondary School, Umuozoche in Etche Local Government Area of Rivers State, at the end of the voters’ registration exercise, when she had the accident on February 6, 2011 sustaining injury on her right leg.

The plaintiff in a statement of claim filed by her lawyer, Okechukwu Okpala, at a Federal High Court in Port Harcourt, averred that both the NYSC and INEC officials abandoned her and even failed to contact her family members for the period she was admitted into hospital.

She said despite repeated appeals for help, the NYSC and INEC officials failed to assist her, adding that she could only walk with the aid of crutches.

In view of this, Nzegwu demands that the insurance policy for corps members during the 2011 general elections be activated for her to benefit from.