A member of the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC), Grace Chalya Silas has been stabbed to death during her morning jogging at the Barnawa, in Kaduna South Local Government Area of the state on Wednesday, October 18, 2023.
Silas was attacked by some yet-to-be identified assailants in Kaduna State.
The deceased’s friends and coursemates at the University of Jos (UNIJOS) have mourned Silas.
“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,” one of the mourners, Comfort Elisha wrote as she expressed her grief.
Confirming Silas’ death, Kaduna Command’s Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), ASP Mansir Hassan, described the incident as “tragic”.
Hassan said Kaduna Commissioner of Police, CP Musa Yusuf Garba, following an emergency meeting of the top hierarchy of the command, ordered the Barnawa Divisional Police Officer (DPO) 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, 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 member and fish out the perpetrators of the dastardly act,” the police spokesperson was quoted as saying.
Hassan assured that the assailants would be brought to book.