A female youth corps member serving in Kaduna State, Grace Chalya Silas, has been fatally stabbed by a vicious attacker.
Grace reportedly became a victim of brutal murder when she was attacked by some yet-to-be-identified assailants suspected to be armed robbers. The tragic incident occurred in Kaduna State.
The details surrounding the horrific incident remain unclear as of the time of this report. It has been ascertained, however, that Grace, a recent graduate of the University of Jos, was attacked while out for a jog on the morning of Wednesday, October 18, 2023.
Her assailants reportedly robbed her also.
The news of this horrifying event has left the NYSC community and her acquaintances in a state of shock and mourning. Many of her friends and former course mates have expressed their grief and condolences on social media platforms, particularly on Facebook.
Comfort Elisha, a deeply grieving friend, lamented, “No na. What is really happening to Jossite and 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.”
Another heartbroken friend pondered the cruel randomness of life, saying, “What is life all about? Struggle and just be killed by anyone while you go for morning jogging? Or you sleep and don’t wake up? What is life? What is life? What is life? Chalya, you left a big wound that will take a while to heal. The people behind your death shall know no peace. It’s hard to say goodbye. But rest well with the Lord.”
Kaduna State Police Command, on Thursday, confirmed the brutal murder of a member of the National Youth Service Corps member, Grace Chalya Silas, by yet-to-be-identified assailants in the state.
The Command’s spokesman, ASP Mansir Hassan, told The PUNCH in an exclusive chat that the state Police Commissioner, CP Musa Yusuf Garba, has directed a manhunt for the killers of the Corps member.
Chalya Silas, who’s doing 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.
One of them, 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.”
Meanwhile, the Kaduna Command’s Public Relations Officer, ASP Mansir Hassan, while confirming the incident, described the death of the Corps member as “tragic”.
Hassan said 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.
“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, had held an emergency meeting with the top hierarchy of command over the matter. We are already in touch with the NYSC in the state.
“The CP has directed the Barnawa DPO and Area Commander, to immediately hunt for killers of the Corps member and fish out the perpetrators of the dastardly act,” Hassan said.
